A Wright and Co Christmas
by KoopaSensei
Summary: After an eventful first year, it became tradition for the Wright and Co. Law Offices to have a Christmas party each year, and these are those parties.
1. Chapter 1

December 30, 3:45 PM

Wright and Co. Law Offices

Phoenix Wright wasn't really sure why he'd even bothered coming into work that day. Sure, there had been a few business calls, namely press wanting his statement on the outcome of his last trial. At first he'd hoped that it might actually drum up some buzz and bring him more work sometime, but so far it was clear he was far from the focus of the story. No, the country was far more interested in the fall of the God of Prosecution, Manfred von Karma.

It wasn't until after the first phone call, with the New York Times, that he decided to do a little more digging, and realized the enormity of his actions. Manfred von Karma had gained fame and notoriety, as well as infamy, across the entire country. As California's law system became quicker, harder, and more resolute in stamping out crime, von Karma's own fanatical obsessions and flawless record made him the very embodiment for many of the state's radical system.

By proving that the figurehead was, in fact, guilty of two counts of first-degree murder as well as a host of other crimes, some of which were still being investigated, Phoenix had dealt a blow to the very courts he worked in. Of course, many were doing their best to distance von Karma from the legal world, but the damage had already been done. What would happen next, Phoenix didn't know.

That thought made him look at the couch in his office, where Maya had often lounged on their many off days together. It was empty. Phoenix was alone. He let out a sigh, and looked at the clock. It was almost four. That was a reasonable time to leave, right? Without Maya around, the office was less inviting, less habitable. Phoenix started to rise when there was a knock on the door. Phoenix rolled his eyes, he really hadn't expected any reporters to show up in person. "Come in," he said, hoping this would be over quickly.

Instead of some annoying reporter, however, it was Phoenix's old friend Larry Butz, still wearing his Santa costume (sans the beard), who came in through the door. Before Phoenix could mull that over, Gumshoe followed him, and Edgeworth after the detective. Larry was grinning from ear to ear, Gumshoe looked like he was brimming with energy, and Edgeworth wore his familiar air of indifference and annoyance. All three were carrying presents. "Hey, Nick!" Larry said, looking around the room. "Where's that girl you were hanging out with?"

A sharp jolt of emotional pain at Larry's question ripped through Phoenix's heart, before he answered quickly, "Personal leave, she'll be gone for a few months." His guests set their gifts down on his desk. Larry sat down on the couch, as did Gumshoe, while Edgeworth found himself drawn to an uncomfortable chair near a wall, small signs of discomfort evident on his face. "What are you guys doing here?"

There was a pause as the two couch-sitting men looked at their chair-sitting counterpart, and the prosecutor let out a huff and responded, "I was speaking with Detective Gumshoe yesterday, and it occurred to me that my case may have displaced any holiday plans you and Ms. Fey might have had. Everything after that was the good detective's idea."

Phoenix looked over to a corner of his desk, where several presents lay unopened under Charlie the office plant. Maya had the idea of waiting to open them sometime Christmas Day, but like Edgeworth said, finding out your childhood friend has been arrested for murder tended to dampen the holiday spirit. Looking between those presents and the (mostly) smiling faces of his guests, Phoenix let out a sigh. He had wanted to just wallow in his sadness, but as much as he didn't want to admit it, the idea of spending the evening with friends didn't sound too bad. "Okay," he said, finally, "but let me open these presents we were delivered to the office first."

As he reached for the top present in the pile, he watched as Gumshoe replaced it with several from his arms, then quickly piled on more from Larry and Edgeworth. This first one was a small box, wrapped in plain brown paper. The only apparent outside marking was the Wright and Co. Law Offices address and just enough postage stamps to reach him. Frowning, Phoenix ripped the paper to find a small cardboard box with a note attached, the front merely reading, "To Phoenix Wright." Curious, Phoenix opened the paper and read.

"Dear Phoenix Wright, I hope this present finds you in good health.

I'm sure you don't remember me, but I just wanted to ensure there were no hard feelings left between us. I do not blame you for my current circumstances, and if I'm being honest it was simply a pleasure seeing your work in person, especially considering your recent flings with fame.

With respect,

Frank Sahwit"

"Whose it from, pal?" Gumshoe asked, clearly filled with tension as he watched Phoenix reading the note.

Sweat gathered on Phoenix's brow, he hadn't thought he'd ever hear from this man again. "It's from Frank Sahwit." Three blank stares asked Phoenix an obvious question. Phoenix looked irately at Larry. "Really, Larry? The name doesn't ring a bell? At all?"

Phoenix's friend scratched his head, clearly deep in thought. "Hmm…nope."

Larry's clueless grin set Phoenix's eyes to rolling. "He's the man who murdered your ex-girlfriend! Broke into her house, hit her with your statue, tried to frame you, currently serving a prison sentence for more than a decade? My first trial?"

That seemed to jog Larry's memory, as he suddenly started a storm of blinking, before setting his jaw sharply, a vein bulging on his head. "That monster?! He sent you a present?!"

Edgeworth frowned. "Wright, I don't think it's a good idea to open that here. Perhaps let Detective Gumshoe take a look at it, maybe have the police give it a firm once-over."

"Do you think he sent me a bomb!?" Phoenix asked, his eyes widening.

"No, most likely nothing that melodramatic," Edgeworth replied, his tone casually dismissive. "But I have received packages from people I've sent to jail before, Wright, and they're rarely pleasant."

Preferring to edge on the side of caution, Phoenix handed the box to Gumshoe, who stored in inside a trench-coat pocket. The next parcel was coated in Steel Samurai rapping paper, and was much larger than the previous gift. It had been left on the doorstep, he remembered, with a note that read, "To Mr. Wright, from Will Powers." A quick and careless unwrapping later, Phoenix found himself holding a coffeemaker, one of those expensive ones that made them one cup at a time instead of in pots.

"I'm not a big coffee fan, but it's still better than the cheap one Mia had," Phoenix said with a smile, glowing inside with the feeling that someone actually appreciated what he had done. It wasn't the only gift from Global Studios either. Penny Nichols had sent him a nice greeting card with a message inside for Maya, one that Phoenix only glanced at, his heart falling a little as he saw it. The card also had a gift card to a popular department store, not for much, but with his office finances everything helped.

Cody Hackins sent him some unopened packs of Steel Samurai trading cards, which Phoenix decided to save for Maya. For a moment he thought he saw Edgeworth's eyes tracking the packs of cards in his hand, but Phoenix thought it must have been a mistake on his part. Nothing from the Oldbag, as if that was a surprise, but Sal Manella, having barely dodged jail time himself, had sent a Pink Princess costume that he claimed would fit Maya perfectly. Phoenix tried very, very hard not to think about how he got her measurements.

Now that those were out of the way, it was time to open his guest's presents. He decided to start with Larry's, under the logic that if he didn't his friend would throw a fit. The present was small, and the wrapping paper tacky green and red stripes. As an ex-art student, Phoenix was very happy that Larry seemed to limit is "artistic sensibilities" to sculpting. Oddly enough the present was a sculpture, one that looked like the Thinker, except it was Mia's body instead of a naked man's.

Phoenix wasn't sure what to think: a statue of his mentor, one that resembled the weapon used to kill her. Of course, he knew Larry hadn't thought of that. He looked up at his friend, genuinely surprised by the gift. "Um, thanks Larry. It's really nice. I'll take it home with me."

Of course, this compliment ensured Larry was all smiles, blushing and acting foolish. "It was nothing Nick." Then, to Phoenix's surprise, Larry's face turned serious, deliberately casting off his humor. "Nick, man, your mentor freaking died, dude. It must be tough. I know we don't hang as much as we used to, but if you ever want to talk, I'm here for you."

A somber mood fell on the room with that offer, one that seemed to make Gumshoe uncomfortable with being quiet. "Mia Fey was one-of-a-kind, pal," the detective said solemnly. "I only worked a few cases with her, but it only took one to see what kind of person she was."

If Gumshoe had looked uncomfortable, his subordinate's short speech made Edgeworth's silence unbearable. "I only worked two cases with her myself. I…try to forget our first encounter, but regardless of how that case turned out, she was a…worthy adversary."

No one met the eyes of another, each thinking of everything they'd lost this year. Breaking out if it first, Gumshoe smiled and strived to lighten the mood. "Open my gift next pal! It's the big one!"

It was fairly clear which one he was referring to, Phoenix thought, as it barely kept itself on Charley's pot, hanging of the edge and daring gravity to do its worst. The wrapping paper was cheap, a red wavey pattern that anyone could get for a buck, if not less. Phoenix had an inkling of the detective's money issues, and more than anything he tried to be touched that the man had gotten him something at all.

Inside was several paperback books, which really surprised Phoenix. He glanced at the spines: "Art of War", "Thus Spoke Zarathustra", "The Prince". When Phoenix's eyes moved from the books to the detective, Gumshoe was scratching his head. "I found 'em at a good price, pal. Thought with your lawyer stuff, it might help to read about strategy and stuff." Phoenix didn't have the heart to tell him half of these books were on philosophy, not strategy.

Appreciating the thought, Phoenix gave Gumshoe what he hoped looked like a genuine smile. "I'll be sure to read these when I get the chance, Detective. Thank you." More specifically, if he ever found himself with enough free time, he might crack open one of them, maybe. That left just one present left, a small one in plain blue wrapping paper. "This one's from you, Edgeworth?"

Apparently the prosecutor didn't feel a question that stupid required an answer, and merely watched as Phoenix unwrapped the small, thin present to find a framed photo. In the photograph were three kids, all fairly young, posing in what looked like an office. The boy with the spiky hair and the one wearing a tank top were making silly faces, but the young child in a bow-tie and a suit was trying to look serious, though his childish happiness was evident regardless. Surprised, Phoenix turned to photo to Larry, who stared at the photo, remembering.

"Hey, that's that time we went to your Pop's work after school, right Edgy? I'd completely forgotten about that!" Larry said, his voice making it clear he was just as floored by the photo as Phoenix was.

Edgeworth looked uncomfortable. "After the recent…incident…I went through some of my father's things, and found it. I thought, since you seemed to love talking about our past so much, maybe you'd like to have it, Wright."

"Thanks, Edgeworth," Phoenix said, unsure of how to feel. "It's a great present." Feeling awkward himself, the attorney grabbed the boxed coffee machine and said, "Why don't we all try this out? It comes with a bunch of sample cups. I don't have anything in the office to eat right now, but…"

The evening that followed was more pleasant than Phoenix had expected, despite the fact that Edgeworth refused to stop complaining about the lack of tea. It was a proper Christmas party, and as everyone left with a "Merry Christmas" on their lips, Phoenix resolved to make this a tradition.


	2. Chapter 2

December 24, 5:30 PM

Wright and Co. Law Offices

"C'mon, Nick, hurry!" Maya shouted as she scrambled around the office, haphazardly taping bangles and stapling lights to the walls. "They're going to be here in half an hour!" The office, if Phoenix was being honest with himself, was a complete mess. When Maya had heard about the small, personal Christmas party held last year, she'd thrown a fit that she had missed it. Determined to make the most out of the yuletide season, she'd invited every client and witness they had (except for Oldbag), and planned the party herself. Of course, it was Phoenix himself who footed the bill on the food, drinks, and decorations, but he did it with a smile (mostly). After the whole mess at her home village, Phoenix welcomed anything that brought a smile to Maya's face.

"Yeah, Mr. Nick! We've got to make sure everything's perfect!" Pearl exclaimed as she continued to precisely and delicately decorate every square inch of Charley she could while keeping the poor plant alive. To no one's surprise at all, Maya had forgotten to actually decorate the office until the last minute, which was the cause of her and Pearl's feverish pace. Phoenix, on the other hand, was sitting behind his desk trying to look busy with lawyery things.

The commotion inside the office was halted by a light knocking on the door, stopping everyone in their tracks. With a beaming smile on her face, Maya skipped up to the door and opened it, revealing a happy but clearly nervous Maggey Bryde waiting there, holding several gifts. "Maya!" she looked into the office and her eyes met Phoenix's. "Mr. Wright! I can't tell you how happy I am to be here!"

Trying to look casual, Phoenix returned her smile as she walked into the office, taking off a winter coat to reveal a sporty orange hoodie underneath. "There isn't some kind of police officer party tonight?"

The wince of pain the comment elicited made Phoenix mentally punch himself. With a sigh and a frown, Maggey looked over at Phoenix and shook her head. "They do, actually, but I was kicked off the force in October."

Maya let out a gasp. "Why? Is it because of the case? Because that's totally unfair!" Her rage was obvious from the puffed out cheeks she was sporting, but Maggey laughed that off.

"No, it had nothing to do with that...kind of." Maggey's gaze flicked over to a wall, away from everyone else, like she couldn't bear looking anyone in the eyes. "I...really don't want to talk about it." The room around Phoenix and everyone aside from Maggey fell away into darkness, and chains surrounding the young woman, her heart guarded by three red locks. Curious, but not urgent, Phoenix thought. Ever since getting the magical Magatama, Phoenix had accidentally stumbled into lots of secrets in his daily life, and after a few mistakes learned that unless a court case was involved magically prying into the lives of others wasn't a great idea. Eager to change the subject, Maggey noticed Pearls for the first time and her eyes lit up. "Hello! I'm Maggey Bryde. Who are you?"

Happy to meet a new friend, Pearl returned the smile and replied, "My name is Pearl Fey! I'm Mystic Maya's cousin!" The answer seemed to make Maggey only more curious, her brow furrowed, but before she could vocalize what she was thinking another knock hammered at the door. Phoenix looked at the time and realized it was six o'clock now, the party's official start time. Maggey went to answer the door, but before she could, Maya zipped past her and beat her to it.

Standing on the other side of the door was someone Phoenix hadn't seen in almost a year, a teenage girl who still hadn't quite reached adulthood wearing a lab coat covering more casual attire. She looked at Maya, confused, while Maya returned the look with a huge smile. "Um, is this the Wright and Co Christmas Party? The card I got said it was this on this floor…"

Maya gave big nod of the head and answered, "It sure is! I'm Maya Fey, Nick's regular assistant! Thanks for helping him out while I was back home!" She extended a hand out, and the newcomer took it with a bright smile of her own.

"I'm Ema Skye, it's nice to finally meet you! Our sisters were friends in college, actually…" Phoenix toned out the conversation from there, wanting to give the girls some privacy, and got up from his desk to grab some chips to snack on. He watched as Ema and Maya talked excitedly about something, and he was happy Ema had a chance to come. She'd been through alot, and when Phoenix told Maya the basics she became determined to have her over.

Phoenix's gaze moved to Pearl, who was on the fringe of Maya's conversation, clearly happy to see her beloved cousin enjoying herself. He was enjoying the spectacle so much, a languid smile on his face, that he didn't notice Maggey's approach until she was already right next to him and asking, "So, why is Pearl staying with you guys?"

The question made Phoenix trip over his thoughts, and he struggled to cobble together a response. "Y-yeah, well, uh...we should talk about this in the other room." She followed his lead into the room where Mia used to have her work space, an area Phoenix had barely changed due to the memories. He could almost still smell the coppery aroma of her blood, but he had cleaned the area well, he knew it must have been his mind playing tricks on him. Feeling safely isolated, he let out a sigh. "A couple months before we took your case, there was an incident in Maya's hometown.

"You see, Maya and her family are spirit channelers, and during that case last December she hadn't been able to channel anyone to help me, and it really hurt her self-esteem. Not wanting her powers to dry up completely, she went back to her home, Kurain Village, to train." Phoenix paused, mentally tripping over the images that came next in his story. "She, uh, she was asked the channel someone, her first ever time doing that officially. Her Aunt Morgan used the opportunity to help a bereaved outside party kill the man who requested the channeling, and make it look like Maya did it while she was channeling the dead person."

Maggey took the words like a physical blow, her face contorting into a mask of sympathetic horror. "Her own aunt…" She looked in the direction of the happy voices and mirthful laughter coming from the other room and shook her head. "And Pearl?"

That was the million dollar question, was it? "What do you tell a little girl, one who thinks the world of her mother and older cousin, when one plots to ruin the other's life? We...we told her that her mom had done something bad, but that she still loved her very much. She's being raised by other relatives in Kurain, and Maya's been commuting between her apartment here and her home there, bringing Pearl here with her when she can. She gets a monthly visit with her mom, the only visitor Morgan Fey ever gets, but they're monitored to make sure she doesn't try and do anything bad to her."

The silence that followed was deafening. Phoenix had a hard time looking at anything, and Maggey stared into space, one arm clenching the other in a tense vice-grip. Seeing that tension in her, Phoenix decided to touch the Magatama in his pocket, and bring back up her locks. "Maggey, what happened with your job?"

For a moment, Maggey didn't react at all to his words, and he wondered if she'd even heard them. "It's...it's not important. I'm not important…" she said, her voice barely audible.

In a flash, Phoenix took out one of the invitations for the party and showed it to her. "You are important. We both wanted you here, we care about you, Maggey. You're our friend."

"...Thank you..." One of the locks exploded into red shards that disappeared into motes of emerald light as they hit the walls and ground. Still, there were two locks left. "It's just...hard to talk about."

Thinking of a way to continue, Phoenix posed, "What if I take a stab in the dark, see if I can figure it out on my own?" She nodded, and Phoenix thought about what it could be. Why would she have issues at work? "Maggey, even though it wasn't the direct cause, did the case last September have anything to do with it?" It seemed at first he'd missed the mark, but then she nodded her head again, and another lock broke. Still, she wasn't saying anything back. Time to dig deeper. Suddenly, it hit him, and Phoenix's face fell, and he struggled to hold tears from his eyes. "It's Dustin's death, isn't it?"

As the last lock exploded and the chains fell away, Phoenix watched as her face crumpled, her eyes bleeding tears down her face in a heavy stream. She rushed forward into his arms and he caught her, holding her smaller frame into his torso, letting his suit soak up the tears. "I-I just miss him so much!" she choked through her sobbing. "I couldn't get work done! E-Everything there just reminded me of him!" It was sad, as Phoenix held the young woman close to him, to think of how much practice he had now in comforting those who had experienced such loss. He was only 24. What kind of man would he turn out to be if he stayed this course?

When Gumshoe knocked on the door to the Wright and Co. Law Offices, two presents in his other hand, he hadn't expected to see the door being opened by the smiling faces of Maya Fey and Ema Skye. "Detective Gumshoe!" they shouted simultaneously, both clearly happy to see him. Before he knew what was happening, the good detective found himself being hugged tightly by both girls.

It was difficult, but Gumshoe managed to walk into the office despite the two teenage girls attached to his waist. "Where do the presents go, pals?" he asked them, looking around. Two hands quickly pointed to the underside of a tiny, plastic Christmas tree, under which already sat six gifts. After adding his to the pile, Gumshoe looked around confused before gazing down at the two parasites. "Where's Mr. Wright?"

For a second it looked like Maya was trying to silently silence her compatriot, but if so it didn't work. "Oh, he and that Maggie girl went into the other room to talk! It sounded serious, too," Ema said, and as she spoke her words pierced his heart like a bullet. So, it was like that.

"It's actually 'Maggey', pal," he said halfheartedly as they slid down his legs then dispatched themselves near the door once more, continuing whatever conversation they'd been having beforehand. Gumshoe resolved himself to sulk in his sadness: once again her heart belonged to another.

Maybe that's how it was supposed to be… "Mr. Scruffy Detective! It's good to see you again!" With a surprised start, Gumshoe looked around to find Pearl Fey standing nearby, staring at him. Her happy face fell into something gloomier and she looked down. "Why are you sad, mister? Isn't today supposed to be a happy day?"

"Y'know what, you're right!" Gumshoe replied, and he found himself beaming at the little girl. It was Christmas Eve, after all, and he should be enjoying himself, romantic troubles be damned. Kneeling down to be a little closer to her, Gumshoe asked the little girl, "How is your Christmas going, little girl?"

To his surprise, Pearl looked a little lost for an answer. "Actually, this is my first time celebrating Christmas. Mother said that it was a silly Christian thing and that proper Feys didn't acknowledge it." For a moment something that looked like the beginning of loss and grief edged into her voice and face, but they soon disappeared. "So far, though, I'm really liking it! How about you, Mr. Scruffy Detective? Do you like Christmas?"

The question truly befuddled the detective. "Do I...do I like...of course I like Christmas, pal! I love it!" He started huffing and puffing with excitement. "It's the best time of the year! Sometimes, the police have me dress up as Santa Claus and go down to local schools and hand out presents! When you've got nothing of your own, fire in your heart, and good will towards men, it's the time of year for you, pal!"

From there Pearl showed Gumshoe around the office, pointing out what decorations were from her and which were from Ms. Fey. Once they found themselves at the snack table, Pearl nibbling on gummy worms and Gumshoe devouring everything in sight, a question occurred to the detective. After swallowing what was already in his mouth, he asked her, "How are things at home?"

Pearl clearly wasn't expecting the question, and seemed to ponder it while looking over at Maya. "My cousins are really nice, and they've been taking good care of me while Mother is away. Mystic Maya comes over sometimes, and sometimes she takes me here to see Mr. Nick. But…"

"You miss your momma, don't you?" Gumshoe asked her, and he saw a small nod in response. He rubbed the back of his head, sentimental stuff wasn't his forte but he still felt like he should say something to the kid. "Listen, I'll tell you a secret, alright pal?"

Suddenly looking quite serious, she locked eyes with him. "You can trust me, Mr. Scruffy Detective, I won't tell anyone."

Once again he knelt down next to her and told her quietly, "When I was a little older than you, my dad got into a fight with someone he knew, and he did some bad stuff, had to go away for a while. My mom was out of the picture at that point, pal, and I ended up not knowing where I was gonna live, day to day." Pearl's eyes were brimming with tears, but she didn't interrupt.

"I didn't want to tell no one, I was embarrassed, so I went from friend's house to friend's house, staying the night. Finally, a girl in my class noticed and asked me what was happening." He paused and nodded his head towards Ema. "It was her big sister, actually. I told her what happened, and she helped me figure everything out." Realizing he'd strayed from his point a little, Gumshoe focused. "What I'm trying to say is, if you're afraid to talk to someone, don't be. It's always okay to ask someone you care about for help. Even me, okay pal?" She nodded, and the detective let himself hope that maybe, just this once, things would turn out okay.

"And then, Nick actually cross examined the parrot!" Maya said, her chest hurting from how much laughing she'd been doing, tears trailing down her face.

She wasn't the only one: her new friend Ema was clutching her stomach and laughing uproariously as well. "N-No way! I heard that, b-but I thought it was a joke!" The two took a few seconds to catch their breath. They'd bonded over two shared loves: the Steel Samurai and insulting Nick. "I've been meaning to ask, Maya, but what's up with your clothes? It's Christmas, not Halloween!"

From the cheeky grin on her face, Maya knew knew Ema was just making a joke, but it stung a little all the same. "Actually, they're what I usually wear." She motioned to her whole outfit, and put on a brave face. "I'm a spirit medium, it's what my village is known for. I can call spirits back from the dead."

"Um," Ema said, clearly struggling to think of a good way to say what was on her mind. "Maya, ghosts and spirits don't exist, they're scientifically impossible," she told Maya, sounding like a teacher talking to a particularly slow student.

Feeling more than a little irate at her profession once again being denigrated, Maya focused her energy and called out to her sister. Her consciousness blacked out, and Ema watched in confusion as Maya's form became that of her older sister, Mia's. The dead attorney looked around, confused. "Is this a Christmas party at the office? Why did Maya call me?" Suddenly Ema's wide eyed expression caught Mia's attention, and she zeroed in on the girl. "Hello, I'm Mia Fey, Maya's sister. Do you know why she channeled me?"

It was clear to Mia that the girl was very surprised, and she began to get a good idea of why Maya did what she did before the girl had said a word. "M-Maya told me she was a spirit medium, and I told her that was impossible, because spirits didn't exist…"

Mia graced the girl with a motherly smile and looked down at her. "Well, I'd say she's disproved your position, wouldn't you say? I'm fairly sure I exist, after all. What's your name?"

Seeing some sort of opportunity arise, the girl stood up to her full height and extended a hand. "My name's Ema, Ema Skye. I'm Lana's little sister. It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am, my sister speaks...spoke, rather highly of you." It was clear she was still struggling with the idea of life after death in a literal sense, but Mia was impressed. Ema was taking this much better than Phoenix did.

Of course, considering Lana basically raised the girl, Mia wasn't surprised. She took her hand and shook it firmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ema. Your sister mentioned you quite often in university. How is Lana? Last I heard from her, she'd been made Chief Prosecutor."

The question seemed to make Ema mentally stumble. "Oh, uh," she stammered, clearly uncomfortable. Her arms gripped the edges of her lab coat, her entire body tense. "There was a case, last February. Lana was...arrested for murdering a detective." The news hit Mia like a physical blow, but before she could ask what came to mind, Ema answered it. "She didn't do it! I convinced Mr. Wright to take the case, and together we made sure she was found innocent."

"Who was the actual culprit?" Mia asked, confused on why Phoenix hadn't told her anything about this. Sure, she didn't get called often, but he must have known she'd want to hear about this case.

Mia knew that her questions were causing Ema some mental anguish, but she had to know. "Gant. Damon Gant. During the trial, it was discovered that he'd not only murdered Detective Goodman, but also Prosecutor Neil Marshall two years ago. He framed me for Mr. Marshall's murder, and helped Lana frame Joe Darke. Then he used that leverage to run her life."

Well, that explained Lana's distance, how closed off she'd been, ever since that case. Mia had wanted to believe she really had just been busy, but this… Chief Gant? The funny old man who'd helped her on more than one case? A murderer? What was this world coming to? Mia wiped tears from her eyes she didn't even consciously realize she had shed. "I suppose Lana was still convicted, then?"

Ema nodded. "Her confession and testimony against Gant led to a reduced sentence for her other crimes, but she's still serving time in a minimum security prison. Her legal career is probably ruined, too." It was clear that Ema was struggling not to cry herself.

It was clear that Mia needed to leave, Maya's energy couldn't hold her here much longer. With the last of that time, she reached out a hand and ran in through Ema's hair. "I know it's hard, Ema, but remember: you still have your sister. She's alive. You're alive. Cherish that. Always."

The party had been going for a few hours now, and after some wrangling from Maya everyone was seated (mostly in folding chairs) in the office's main room, and everyone was holding the presents they were to open. "Alright, now that everyone's here," Maya said with clasped hands, "let's go in reverse arrival order! Detective, you're up!"

Gumshoe looked between the two packages on his lap and chose the small, hard one first. "This one's from Mr. Wright and Ms. Fey!" To Phoenix's dismay, the detective ripped his well-taped wrapping paper away with a single swipe of his hand, revealing the book underneath. "'Fifty Ways to Live in L.A. on a Budget' huh? Thanks a lot, pal! I'll need this with von Karma as a superior." At the very least, Phoenix was happy the detective could see the silver lining in any bad situation. Gumshoe's eyes moved to his other present, and his smile exploded in intensity. "From Maggey? Ooh, I'm so excited!" Despite his words, he carefully unwrapped the paper, ensuring none of it was torn or crumpled, which just made Phoenix feel terrible, and from the paper emerged a familiar looking large trench coat, identical to the one Gumshoe currently wore and yet brand new at the same time.

"You said a while ago that it was getting hard to patch your coat, so I thought a new one might come in handy," Maggey told him, but it wasn't clear that he heard her, considering how hard he was staring at the coat. Tears fell from the detective's eyes and stained the green coat, and everyone was respectfully silent as Gumshoe gave his former subordinate a warm look and set the coat somewhere where it wouldn't be ruined.

Everyone's eyes moved from the detective to the future scientific investigator, who looked at the small present in her hands with excitement. Without wasting more time, she ripped the paper off to reveal to everyone the first season of _The Pink Princess_ on DVD. "Wow, this isn't even out yet!" she looked at Phoenix, joy evident on her face. "Where did you guys get this?"

Phoenix blushed and rubbed the back of his spiky hair. "We actually did a favor for the production team a while ago, so Maya's been getting free early copies of their merchandise. For some reason they sent us two, and I thought you'd like it."

She slipped the DVD into a pocket on her lab coat and flashed a smile at Phoenix and Maya. "Well, you were right! Maggey, it's your turn now, right?" The former police officer was holding a small box and a card. Starting with the envelope, she opened it and pulled out a card that looked handmade, crafted by someone who didn't know much about art nor crafts. Maggey inspected the card with a smile on her face then opened in, read the contents, and looked confused. "What's wrong, Maggey?" Ema asked.

Maggey looked at Detective Gumshoe. "Thanks for the card, Detective, but I can't really read your writing. What is it supposed to say?"

Blushing like crazy, Gumshoe pointedly looked anywhere except at Maggey. "Uh, just a normal Merry Christmas and that I hope next year turns out better than this one did, pal." Maggey seemed to accept the obvious lie rather easily, enough that Phoenix wondered if she was aware of her former superior's affections and trying not to think about them. Either way, poor Gumshoe. Her other present was opened quickly enough, revealing a magatama similar to the one Maya wore around her neck.

"Pearl and I charged it with good luck for you!" Maya explained, and it was clear from the way Maggey gazed down at the magatama that their makeshift, last-minute present had been well received. "Alright, Pearl, now it's your turn!"

The little girl looked at the wrapped present in front of her like it was some foreign object, and Phoenix's heart fell as he realized how few gifts she must have received in her life. She carefully unwrapped the present and found a book inside waiting for her. " _The Magic Bottle_?"

Maya nodded cheerfully. "I heard a lot of good stuff online about it, Pearl, it's a children's book! I know you don't have a lot of books back in Kurain at your reading level, so I thought this would make a good addition!" As expected, this brought the smiles and hugs that came from giving children presents they enjoyed. With a frankly terrifying smile on her face, Maya looked down at her two presents. "Cards, first, vegetables before dessert…" The letter was unmarked, and when opened it revealed a lovely, if completely unfestive, greeting card. Maya's face paled as she read it, and without saying a word she turned it so Phoenix could see.

" _Dear Mystic Maya,_

 _It had come to my attention that you have decided to honor the Christian festival of Christ-mas. As the future Master of Kurain Village, it is your right to do so, however much it may dishonor our family, village, and way of life. I hope that you are enjoying these days of freedom and bliss, for I fear they will not last forever. Such as it was with Mystic Mia, and Mystic Misty before her._

 _With love,_

 _Morgan Fey_ "

It was difficult, but Phoenix did his best not to let his anger show as he read the card. Inside, he was fuming, unable to believe the sheer audacity of that woman. Outwardly, all he said was, "Wow, what I nice card from your aunt, Maya. Now then, why don't you open my gift."

While his statement clearly flew over Ema's head, Maggey and Gumshoe didn't miss the implications. Trying to steady herself, Maya rapidly unwrapped Phoenix's gift, and found herself holding a cookbook. " _World's Best Burger Recipes_ by Lawrence Curls?" Her eyes welled up with tears, and for a moment Phoenix felt impressed with his gift getting skills. "Are...are you not going to buy me burgers anymore?"

"Wha-No! That isn't, I'm not…" Completely unprepared for that statement, Phoenix tried to cobble together a real sentence, when Maya burst out in laughter, the tears and fear from earlier disappearing in an instant.

"Gotcha! I can't believe you fell for that, Nick!" Maya claimed, her trademark smirk on her face, but Phoenix had to wonder how much of it was genuine, and how much was her way of quietly resetting her mood. Her shining eyes moved to the pile of presents of Phoenix's lap, and exclaimed, "Now's the time, Nick! Open 'em up!"

Some of the presents were pretty simple: a $1 scratcher from Detective Gumshoe (it was the thought that counter, Phoenix supposed), a handmade card from Ema (though she could have spent more than five minutes on it), and a Gordy sweatshirt from Lotta Hart (a quick test proved it was a size too small for Phoenix but one size too big for Maya).

At first Phoenix expected Maggey's gift to be another card, but the envelope opened to reveal two tickets to the Berry Big Circus. "They're in town for a few more weeks, and the tickets are for next weekend." Her eyes drifted off in the direction of Pearl, who like Maya was looking at the tickets with excitement in her eyes. "Sorry I didn't get one for Pearl, I didn't know…"

"It's fine," Phoenix supplied, pocketing the tickets. "I can afford to buy a kid's ticket for her, I'm not that poor." Then his eyes moved to an oddly familiar-shaped box in garish purple wrapping. Sure enough, upon inspection there was a note revealing the giver as Frank Sahwit. "Again?" Phoenix looked over at Gumshoe curiously. "By the way, was there any foul play from Sahwit's gift last year? You never told me."

The question made Gumshoe laugh. "Oh, that? It was a wooden carving of a bird, real pretty too. Nothing wrong with it, either. I've been using it as a paperweight. I asked around, apparently he's being a model prisoner. I'd wager that one's probably safe too."

With that professional advice offered, Phoenix shrugged and opened the present, revealing a beautiful wooden statue carved in the shape of an otter. "Huh." A high pitched squeal split the air, and Phoenix looked up to see Maggey's eyes alight, her eyes directly squared in on the statue. "You can have it, Maggey." He passed it over to her, then read the attached note. It was a fluffy and flowery thing about how Mr. Sahwit held no hard feelings at all and...yeah there was no way Phoenix was going to read that whole thing. After crumpling up the ticket in his pocket, he opened a gift from Marvin Grossberg: a brand new, very expensive law book. _California Murder Trial Law Vol 1_ , specifically. Casually, Phoenix added it to the shelf with all of Mia's law books, half heartedly promising himself he'd get around to reading it.

"One last gift!" Maya exclaimed, and all eyes were on the envelope sent from Will Powers. Their first real client, Mr. Powers hadn't exactly kept in touch much, but Phoenix was still grateful to the best paying client he'd ever had. Inside were three tickets for something Phoenix had never heard of before, some kind of hero competition? Nonetheless, Maya was ecstatic and Ema was jealous, so Phoenix supposed it must be a pretty nice gift. From there the party continued for a few more hours, with lots of visiting and arguing and general small talk. When it was time for everyone to go home, everyone had the same thought in mind: this was going to have to be an annual thing.


	3. Chapter 3

December 24, 6:15 PM

Firstenberg Recreation Center

Traditions are an interesting thing. They have a tendency to start without the ones responsible even knowing it, and once they're on a roll getting them to stop is just shy of impossible. Thus, despite many objections (both figurative and literal), Phoenix Wright was forced to cough up the money to actually rent out a small rec center for his company Christmas party. As much fun as the last year had been, Maya was always one for escalation, and Phoenix had to admit that the office wasn't exactly a good size for hosting parties.

For a moment, Phoenix thought he'd found an out when both Gumshoe and Edgeworth had turned down their invitations. The good detective was busy, and despite how close they'd gotten over the last several years the reply letter he'd sent them seemed a little rude. Had they done something to make him mad? Meanwhile, Phoenix's childhood friend and courtroom rival was still off in Europe doing...something? Honestly, he'd never managed to ask exactly why the prosecutor was spending so much time overseas.

This time they'd officially taken the day off of work, and after handing over the check that Phoenix really, really hoped wouldn't bounce to the manager of the Firstenberg Recreation Center, they spent most of the day using a combination of what Christmas decorations they could cobble together themselves and some provided by the center itself for such occasions to spruce the place up. By the time the sun was beginning to set and the guests started arriving, the place actually looked quite festive, with a plastic tree, tinsel everywhere, and an actual table of real food.

Another oddity for this particular party was the complete turnover in guests. In addition to their regular workplace friends, Maggey never replied to her invitation and Ema had joined Edgeworth across the ocean, much to Maya's dismay. Still, they'd managed to gather a decent party list anyway. The first one to arrive was Adrian Andrews, still a little down in the dumps after the Mask DeMasque case, but otherwise very happy to be invited. Will Powers was next, and Phoenix was quite happy that after all the gifts he'd been sent from the man he was actually attending the party for once. Of all the people invited, Marvin Grossberg was one Phoenix had least expected to actually attend, yet there he was, right on time. The last one there, more than half an hour late, was Larry Butz, back in his old orange jacket instead of the security guard uniform Phoenix had last seen him in.

Once everyone was there, Phoenix was ready to hang around and chat for a while before moving forward, but apparently Maya was not having any of that. "We did that last year, Nick! What fun is it if we just do the same things over and over again! We've gotta change with the times, shake things up! What I'm saying is: presents now!" And so they gathered around to sit near the Christmas tree, and before he knew what was happening Phoenix looked down and saw his lap covered in gifts. He gave Maya an eyebrow, but she responded, "Changing things up! Company gifts first!"

Phoenix wasn't going to turn down the opportunity, and looked down at the collection of wrapped items weighing him down, before choosing one at random. The hand-sized package looked familiar, and when he read the name of the paper he knew why. "Another package from Frank Sahwit!" he exclaimed, befuddled on why this was happening for a third year in a row.

More than a few guests didn't really understand, and Grossberg cleared his throat before voicing the question they all had aloud. "Ah-HHHHEM! Perhaps you could tell as why you're so vexed by this gift, m'boy. Who is Frank Sahwit?"

Before Phoenix could try fielding the question, the Butz jumped in the way. "He killed my ex-girlfriend, Cindy Stone, back in 2016, tried to frame me for the crime, too. It was Nick's first case, about a month before Mia died." If he'd tried to guess how Larry would talk about that incident beforehand, Phoenix would've gone with the typical Butz rage, but to his immense surprise Larry's voice seemed more tired and matter-of-fact than anything else.

The other guests' faces paled, and Adrian asked, her voice quiet, "He sends you Christmas gifts?"

Not knowing what else to do, Phoenix just shrugged and said, "Yeah, actually, since the first Christmas Party. That time it was a statue of a Phoenix, which I let Detective Gumshoe have, then last year it was an otter, which I gave to Ema Skye, and now…" Phoenix quickly unwrapped the present, tossing away the associated card without reading it, and found inside, "...a dragon." To be specific, it was a wood carving on a Chinese-style dragon, like something out of an Eastern legend.

"It's not unheard of," Grossberg said, surprising Phoenix. "Over the years I've received quite a few gifts from criminals who went to prison due to my own actions. Some, I'm sure, do it out of a genuine sense of regret, others because they know it'll look good to a parole board, and others…" Something dark overtook the lawyer's features for a moment before he continued, "...well, they might think it wise to be on the good side of a defense attorney."

The room was quiet for several tense seconds before Maya broke through with a pleading, "Now mine! Open mine, Nick!" Curious, Phoenix looked and saw a large and heavy box with a tag making it clear it was from her. It was the first time Maya had gotten him more than a card, and considering her modest income he wondered what could be inside. After ripping off the cheap yet festive wrapping, Phoenix opened the plain cardboard box to find a bag of plant food, a brass polishing kit, and a pair of headphones that boasted it's noise cancelling effects. Phoenix looked at the seemingly random assemblage of items then at Maya, who blushed before explaining. "Yeah, uh, I'm not the best at picking out gifts. The plant food is for Charley, the polishing stuff is for your badge, and the headphones are for when you're too stressed out and need some space."

Hearing that, Phoenix looked back down at the gifts with a new appreciation and smiled. Then, just because she was sitting next to him anyway, he leaned over and gave her a hug. "Thanks, Maya. I really like them." Then he withdrew and considered his gift pile once more. From Adrian Andrews he got a book, _Rising from the Ashes: How to Put Your Life Back Together_ by Matches Malone, which she said really helped her after last year. Phoenix really hoped he never needed it himself, but the sentiment was nice. Larry got him a handmade card, with a crayon-made coupon inside for 'one hangout with The Larry Butz, no charge'. If nothing else, it was worth a chuckle.

Once again, Mr. Powers had gone above and beyond in his present, this time a mini-fridge and a gift card to Safeway for $100. Phoenix halfheartedly tried reject the offering, only for Will to respond, "It's the least I can do. After how you guys reacted to that buffet…" Berry Big Circus had sent a photo of the troupe, signed by the ones they'd met nearly a year ago, with a nice card as well. It looked like Max and Regina were getting along well, just as friends though, and Moe had traded in his clown ensemble for a proper ringmaster uniform, though he was still wearing the make-up. Baby-steps, Phoenix supposed.

Edgeworth had spent quite a lot of money sending Phoenix a gag gift from overseas: a book entitled _Trial Law: For Dummies!_ Last but not least, the DeLites had sent a nice card with two coupons inside: one for free security, and another for free holes in someone else's security system. While part of Phoenix was intrigued, he put up a show of laughing and dismissing them to everyone else. "Well, that's all of mine, I think," Phoenix said, his lap empty.

"Ah-HHHHEM!" came a loud clearing of the throat. "Actually, there's one more gift," Grossberg explained, before reaching into a suit pocket and pulling out a check. He handed it to Phoenix, whose eyes nearly jumped out their sockets at the number written there. Before he could say anything, Grossberg held up a meaty hand and said, "It's not really a gift, m'boy. I'm investing in Wright and Co. Law Offices. For this, I'd like to own 30% of the business, if that's alright with you."

While he listened, Phoenix showed Maya the check, who gasped as well. It was enough money to cover the rent for...one year? Maybe more? Phoenix looked at a man he barely knew, befuddled, and asked him, "Why?"

The old man's eyes became a little more watery, but instead of answering he reached down for his own present from Phoenix and opened it. With shaking hands, he pulled out what was inside for everyone to see: a stack of manilla folders and beige files filled with papers, nearly two feet high. Grossberg flipped through them, and as he did a few tears fell from his eyes. "She...kept all this?"

It was hard for Phoenix to not begin crying himself, Maya had already joined Mr. Grossberg with her own waterworks. "I found them when I was doing some cleaning in the office. It's every case she worked with you. They were in a special place. I made digital copies for myself, but I thought you'd like to have the originals."

Grossberg looked from the files to Phoenix and box again before smiling wistfully, perhaps the most cheerful smile Phoenix had ever seen on the man's face, and setting his gift aside. Next up was Mr. Powers, who looked at an envelope in his hands with curiosity. Phoenix and Maya met eyes, excited to see his reaction as he tore open the paper and read the letter inside. They got what they wanted as Power's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "The Steel Samurai…"

"...is getting a reboot, yeah," Phoenix finished for him. That news seemed to shock Adrian as well, and it was clear both she and Mr. Powers were expecting answers. Phoenix rubbed the back of his head. "I know that, after that incident earlier this year, there've been no new Samurai shows for a while, so I called up Global Studios and talked with some producers and Mr. Manella. I think they felt like they owed me one still, after everything with Dee Vasquez."

While Phoenix had been expecting tears from the large actor, instead he got a wide grin and a firm handshake. "Thank you so much, Mr. Wright! This is two times now you've saved my bacon! Now I'll really never be able to repay you…"

"My turn!" Larry shouted, interrupting Mr. Powers mid-sentence. He quickly picked up his gift from Phoenix and unwrapped it, revealing a thick textbook. The present seemed to confuse the man, who looked from it to Phoenix and back again, uncomprehending.

It made Phoenix chuckle. "It's an low-level Art book I saved from university, before I switched majors. I was thinking about it lately, and I think you might have talent in the arts, Larry. After all, you made those Thinker sculptures and everything, so maybe you could try more traditional media?"

The explanation seemed to make something click for Larry, who opened the book and began flipping through it. "Art huh? I dunno, Nick, I do like the whole security guard schtick. I mean, I get to nap and watch movies and all sorts of stuff and get paid for it!" Well, Phoenix hadn't been too optimistic about Larry taking the advice, but at least it seemed like he was taking the book.

Adrian Andrews liked her present, a mug that read, 'World's #1 Curator.' Phoenix felt a little odd giving it to her, considering she was sort of responsible for the whole Sacred Urn theft debacle, but it was the thought that counted. For Maya, Phoenix hadn't really known what to get her, and for better or worse all he had for her was an envelope with a subscription to some occult magazine. He thought it had some kind of punny name?

The last present of the night was for Pearl, who looked very excited to be getting a gift. She unwrapped the plain box that Phoenix and Maya had worked together to pick out, and found inside an instant film camera and a scrapbook. Pearls still looked happy, though more than a little confused. She held up the gifts and looked at the givers. "What are these?"

Before Phoenix could even try and start explaining, Maya jumped in. "That, Pearly, is an instant camera! You can take pictures of anything, right away! Pchow!" Maya mimed taking a shot of something dramatically. "The other thing there is a scrapbook, it holds pictures! We thought it'd be nice for you to save whatever memories you want with this, to look back on later."

Though Pearls didn't seem to completely understand the gift, she still thanked Maya and Phoenix over and over again, and with that the gift giving was complete. Everyone got up from their chairs and dispersed, some getting food, others starting to chat. Immediately, Maya and Phoenix came up to Mr. Grossberg and nudged him to a corner of the rec center. Phoenix held the check back out to him. "I'm very thankful for this, sir, but I can't accept it." To his surprise, Maya nodded immediately, backing him up.

From the turmoil they could see in his eyes, Grossberg had been expecting this. "Is 30% too much? I'd be willing to go lower." It was looking like he wanted to end this conversation, quickly, but as uncomfortable as Phoenix himself was he knew it couldn't end here.

While trying to find the right words to respond with, Phoenix was surprised as Maya cut to the chase. "You didn't answer Nick when he asked why you were doing this, and we want to know. We don't take a lot of cases, but we're not in danger of going out of business, we don't need your money."

For a moment, Grossberg dared to meet the eyes of the young woman standing in front of him, her back straight and her eyes fierce. He broke quickly, his gaze falling to the floor as he let out a long sigh. "I suppose this had to happen eventually." Suddenly, Phoenix realized why he was doing this, and knew what Grossberg was about to say. He wished desperately he could have avoided this confrontation, now. "Maya Fey, I have not been entirely honest with you. I was never honest with your sister, despite how much I cared for her…" Phoenix didn't know if the pause that ensued was him searching for the best words to use, or him gathering up his courage. "In the aftermath of the DL-6 Incident, when your mother's testimony failed to convict Yanni Yogi...I was the one who sold the information to Redd White."

Maya didn't say anything, but the sharp intake of breath that followed his words and the tears suddenly standing out in her eyes spoke volumes. Grossberg pleaded. "You have to understand, the money he offered me...I was doing well for myself at the time, but I could never have hoped to make that much through defending alone! It was…" His words seemed to only make Maya cry more, tears cascading down her cheeks as this information rolled over her. "It was the wrong thing to do…" The statement was an obvious one, but it felt like admitting that took something from the lawyer. "You never know who you really are until you're tested...and I failed. Ever since Redd White sold that information to the press, ever since your mother disappeared, I have had to live with the shame I brought upon myself.

"When your sister came to me, an attorney's badge on her lapel and a stunning smile on her face, I felt like it was a second chance. One I didn't deserve. She was the perfect pupil, the brightest lawyer at my firm. She took to my techniques like a duck to water, and before I knew it she had surpassed me. I was so proud of her...but I couldn't admit to her what I'd done. I wanted to, God how I wanted to…and then she left. I've often wondered, if she had found out somehow, and that was why she left...because she couldn't stand to be in the same room as the man who had made her mother disappear, the man who caused her to grow up with no parents." Maya's crying was beginning to slow down, her cheeks still wet from the tears. "That's why I want you and Wright to have the money. Your office...it's what remains of Mia, in the world. You're both continuing her legacy. And I might feel a little less guilty if I could say that I was helping you."

The tension in the air was thick, the emotions high, and suddenly Phoenix felt like he was intruding in something private. As such, he waited for Maya's response, even if it took her nearly a minute to finally say something. "...you're not responsible for my mom abandoning me, Mr. Grossberg." Phoenix was more than a little shocked. Maya rarely spoke about her mother, and he had no idea where this was going. "She...she left of her own accord. Mom didn't have to go. She could have stayed with us, raised us, not cared what people said about her. Or she could have taken us with her. But she didn't, and I don't know why."

Grossberg opened his mouth, and Phoenix thought he was about to defend Misty Fey, but before he could say a word Maya held up a hand and stopped him. "That's not to say you didn't do anything wrong. But we've all made mistakes. We've all…" she winced mid-sentence, as though recalling something physically painful. "... **I've** trusted people who I shouldn't have." Morgan Fey. "But it's clear you feel awful about it. You trained Mia, and you've helped Nick and me too. If you really want to invest in the company, 30% is fine. But you're always welcome, at the office and at our parties, investment or no investment." With a smile that clashed with the drying tear streaks on her face, Maya came closer and hugged the large man, who looked happier than Phoenix had ever seen before. Phoenix looked at the check again. Continuing Mia's legacy, huh?

Over by the food, Adrian Andrews had built up a plate of vegetables and fruit, but her eyes weren't on the consumables, they were on the man in the orange jacket working through several slices of ham without a fork. Outside, she was projecting a vague sense of happiness, her new default mask to the outside world, but inside her anxiety was raging. She didn't know him, but he looked familiar, and he seemed like someone who'd be nice to talk to so she didn't feel alone, so alone, she was alone, she'd always be alone, she didn't want him to think she liked him that way-

"Uh, hi there!" The words shook Adrian out of her internal spiral, which she hoped hadn't shown outwardly at all. The man was standing in front of her now, looking at her, with a doofy smile on his face and a hand outstretched. Realizing what he was waiting for, she reached out her own and they shook. "I'm Larry Butz, Nick's friend."

"Adrian Andrews. I know Mr. Wright from...well from his work I suppose." She let out a little laugh, despite the fact that Adrian didn't feel like laughing at all. She was wondering why she even came to this party, why she bothered trying, but she mustered up what little willpower she had and kept up the facade. "Did you first meet Mr. Wright from a case?"

From there they devolved into small-talk, with Larry telling her all about the fateful class trial that neither he or Edgeworth had remembered (she couldn't believe the prosecutor who had spoken to her with such vitriol was once a charming young idealist with dreams of defense in his heart) and Adrian telling him about the Nickel Samurai case, though only the bare bones of it. From there she told him a little about her curating job, which she'd somehow managed to keep after her failure, (She was a failure, such a failure, always a failure.) and he shared some details from his security guard job.

Once they realized they both knew Wendy Oldbag, the two started gossipping about the old woman, sharing their favorite rants and worst experiences. Adrian was finally starting to feel her anxiety fall away, to live in the moment as she enjoyed the company of this silly man, when he blushed and asked her, "So, uh, are you doing anything later? Like, after the party? Because I know this really great bar and…"

The mask didn't cover her reaction. Adrian's shame, her self-loathing, it all came barrelling down at her at once. Had she led Larry on? She must have, she was such a terrible person, why would she do that to him? Suddenly she felt a pressure on her shoulders, not enough to hurt but enough to anchor her to the feeling. Her vision came back and she saw Larry looking at her, worried. "Adrian? Are you okay?" he was keeping his voice down, and a quick look around the room showed that no one had noticed…

...noticed that Adrian was clutching her warms hard enough to draw blood, doubled over and taught with tension. She saw it in Larry's eyes now: the pity, the revulsion, the fear. "I'm sorry...:" Adrian muttered under her breath. "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry…" He looked confused, and with a great deal of effort Adrian swallowed her self-loathing and took a deep breath, bringing her mask back up. "I'm sorry, Larry, that you had to see that, I...I can't accept your offer. I'm...not attracted to men."

She was ready for Larry to reject her, to laugh at her, to be grossed out. What she wasn't prepared for was a kind smile. "Oh, is that all? Adrian, that's totally fine!" Then it looked like an idea suddenly hit him, and he smiled goofily. "Maybe we should go to the bar anyway, scope out chicks together!"

It was too much. Adrian just started laughing, harder and more true than she had in years, since Celeste...that thought stopped the laughing, but she was still overall feeling better. "I don't think I'm quite ready to do something like that, but thanks Larry. You really are a one in a million kind of guy."

The security guard looked like a complete dope, happy at the compliment, but after soaking in the praise for a few seconds he gave her a more serious look. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but it looked like you were having...I don't know, a panic attack or something. I'm glad you're feeling better now, but if you feel like unloading on someone, I've got an ear open."

More than anything else, Adrian wanted to slip on her old mask, of the cool, confident ice queen who would quickly deny any such weakness. But her therapist had told her to let that unhealthy coping mechanism go, to be more open where she could, and right now she felt like Larry could handle it. Dropping any pretense, Adrian let herself bend to the weight of the emotions broiling within her. She was tired, she was numb, she just wanted to go home. "I have emotional dependency issues. I...don't like myself very much, and in the past I've tended to latch onto others to support myself.

"The last person I completely depended on was Celeste Inpax, my mentor. I loved her so much, she was everything to me. Then...she killed herself. After that I pretended I was invincible, I tried to make everyone think I was completely independant, that I didn't need anyone. But inside…" her words fell away, and she couldn't find any more. Choosing to skip over that entire part of her life entirely, she jumped to, "But after I met Mr. Wright I found a new therapist, I've been trying to treat what's going on with me, and I'm trying to let people in."

Adrian had been so focused on packaging and delivering her issues that she hadn't been really looking at how Larry was reacting. The normally silly man looked pensive, an odd expression on his thin face. "I can't say I entirely relate or anything, but it's not like you're speaking French to me either. Remember what I said earlier about my ex-girlfriend, Cindy Stone?" It took a moment, but Adrian suddenly recalled him mentioning her murder, and she nodded. "Well, I was the one who found her body. I was a freaking wreck after that. At the trial, I kept making things worse, I just couldn't imagine living without her."

It wasn't the same as what Adrian had gone through. They had been dating, Celeste had never expressed that sort of interest in Adrian, despite how much she wished she had. Cindy was murdered, Celeste ended it herself. Larry loved Cindy, but Adrian did more than just love Celeste, she had **needed** her. But still... Adrian pulled out a pen and a notepad from a pocket and quickly wrote something down, then handed it to Larry. "That's my cell number. I think...we should be friends." Larry took it, grinning from ear to ear, and Adrian felt, for the first time in a while, like she'd met someone she could share her burdens with. Well, at least someone she didn't have to pay.

Around this time, Will Powers was getting ready to leave when the young Pearl Fey approached him. "Are you leaving already, Mr. Powers?" He turned to look down at the girl, who was staring up at him with eyes full of sadness. "I wanted to ask you something…"

The actor had only spent a little time with the spirit medium, during the case earlier in the year, but if nothing else Will Powers had a soft heart, especially when it came to kids. Tired but happy to help the morose girl, he told Pearls, "Go ahead! I'll do my best." Honestly, what kind of questions could she even want to ask him? It wasn't like young kids had a talent for throwing out the most difficult to answer appropriately queries in the world, right?

Her tiny face scrunched up, as though she was trying to figure out exactly how she wanted to phrase it. "You knew Mr. Engarde, right?" If Pearls realized the look of fear and horror that overtook Will's face, she didn't show it. Before he could even respond to that, she asked something else. "He did a lot of bad stuff, like kidnap Mystic Maya and get someone killed, right? What do you do when someone you know is...bad?"

Now it was Will's turn to think carefully. This was a delicate subject, one probably better broached by her guardians, or Mr. Wright, but she'd asked him and Will couldn't let her down. "Well, um, it's kind of complicated. I was Matt's mentor, sort of, but he always kept a distance from me. But I still cared about him, I was worried when he was arrested, I believed he was innocent. It's been…" He let out a sigh. "...hard. It's been hard. But I've tried to believe that the Matt I knew was my friend, even if he did some bad stuff too."

Pearls took in his answer with patience and attentiveness, and when it was done she thought over it, before her expression fell once more and asked, "So, what if you know someone, someone you care about a lot, but who did really bad stuff, and they want to be better and they ask you to help? Should you still help them?"

At this point, Will was really grasping to figure out why Pearls was asking him, but after giving up on that mystery, he decided to tell the little girl the truth, at least as Will saw it. "If they want to be better, you should give them the opportunity. It's what Mr. Wright would do, right?" The party ended soon after Will left, a smile on his face, feeling as though he'd taught an important lesson to the next generation. He never learned that it wasn't long after the third annual Wright and Co. Christmas Party that Pearl Fey decided to study her mother's instructions and carry out her plan, one that would surely help Mystic Maya...


	4. Chapter 4

December 24th, 5:40PM

Wright Talent Agency

It has been a draining year. Discovering a murderer had used his name to give a friend a guilty verdict. Nearly dying, falling off that bridge, and all the heartbreak that followed. Losing his badge in a trial whose truth was still hidden, despite his best efforts. Gaining a daughter, whose life now depended on him, and trying to make sure they both didn't starve, that they had a roof over their heads. Before, Phoenix had believed that 2016 had been the worst year of his life, but in just five months 2019 had surpassed it with room to spare.

Still, Phoenix couldn't pretend it had been all bad. Despite the outcome of his last trial, he was still following up on loose ends whenever he could, though seven months in they were becoming fewer and farther between. They'd also avoided dipping into his emergency savings. Zak's check had cleared, Trucy's magic street corner magic shows had turned a small profit (supervised by Phoenix, of course), and while Phoenix hadn't exactly found a new vocation as of yet, Edgeworth had been paying him out of pocket for consulting work every once and a while. Of course, the biggest positive of the year had to be-

"Daddy, they're gonna be here any minute! The office isn't decorated enough yet!" Trucy Wright, Phoenix's adopted daughter, exclaimed, rushing around the office to and fro trying to add some last Christmas touches from the cardboard box of holiday supplies Phoenix had dug out of a closet at home. There was already garland pinned up all around the walls, a small fake christmas tree weighed down with ornaments a'plenty on the desk, and a Santa hat sitting on top of Charley.

Phoenix couldn't keep a warm smile off of his face. When Trucy had learned of the office tradition that had formed, she threw her eight-year old might into the spirit. She had that same sort of boundless energy he saw in someone else he knew, but even at a young age it was tempered with a better understanding of the world, as well as the love of performance that came with her inherited craft. "Trucy, the office already looks wonderful. You can sit down for a second while we wait." There was no protest, no anger, no sadness. Trucy just kept smiling, put the decorations she'd been holding back in the box, took the box into the back room, and came to sit on the couch with her father. Sometimes, Phoenix marveled at how rare it was for there not to be a smile on Trucy's face, and he wondered how much of it was genuine, if it was for his benefit or her own.

Such thoughts were interrupted a second after she'd sat down with a slow, deliberate knock on the office door. She was up again immediately, running over to the door to let the first guest in. Phoenix rose himself, quickly looking down at his blue suit to make sure he still looked...like a lawyer. Stowing that sour thought aside, trying not to notice the empty hole in his lapel, he watched as Miles Edgeworth entered the office, looking down at Trucy with cautious warmth. "Hello Trucy. Happy Christmas." There was a stilted, slightly distant quality to his words, and Phoenix knew Edgeworth well enough to know the cause. Edgeworth had only met Trucy a handful of times since the adoption, a process he had helped with, and he still hadn't figured out how to treat the small child.

If Trucy noticed his trepidation, she didn't show it. "Merry Christmas, Uncle Miles!" Maybe it was because she'd been taught to see Zak's best friend Valant as an honorary uncle, but whatever the cause Trucy had given all of Phoenix's close friend's familial titles. None had complained, or tried to correct her, though considering Edgeworth was an adopted child himself, with an actual niece through an adopted sibling, he may be more used to the idea than Phoenix was. "Let me show you our decorations." She grabbed the prosecutor by the hand and led him further into the office, Edgeworth and Phoenix locking eyes for a moment, a silent acknowledgement passing between them.

While Edgeworth dutifully listened to Trucy's explanations of the decorations, mixed in with stories about elementary school and her magic acts, Phoenix barely caught a quiet knock at the door and opened it to find Dick Gumshoe, his arms laden with presents. "Think you can give me a hand, pal?" Happy to see his friend again, Phoenix grabbed a few boxes out of his arms and together they took them over to set them on the ground next to the desk. "Gotta say, it's a lot of presents for just you, pal." Then Gumshoe's eyes focused on Edgeworth listening attentively to Trucy, and his eyebrows went up in shock. "Uh, who's the kid?"

The prosecutor and magician turned to see Gumshoe, and Trucy came up to the newcomer, curious. "Daddy, whose this?" Then, as if she'd just solved a difficult puzzle, she jumped and her eyes widened in recognition. "Wait a minute, aren't you that detective from Daddy's trial? You tried to get my old Daddy locked up! Why'd you do that, mister?" Her face had fallen in that rare glimpse of sadness Phoenix often saw when she talked about about her mysteriously disappeared father, and her accusation was full of curious sadness, not anger.

"This is Detective Dick Gumshoe," Edgeworth jumped in, his authoritative basso taking control of thing before anyone else could dig Gumshoe a deeper hole. "He works with me, and other prosecutors. He testified at your birth father's trial because he had to, for his job. Don't magicians sometimes need to do things for their jobs they don't necessarily like?" Trucy nodded, the gears clearly turning in her little head. "I'm sure the detective didn't mean any ill will towards Zak Gramarye, and you should know that he's one of the most trustworthy people you'll ever meet, something Phoenix can attest to as well."

The words, especially coming from Edgeworth, completely floored Gumshoe, stunning him for a few seconds as his mind processed the greatest compliment he had ever received. Just as he started recovering, looking at Trucy now with a question written all over his face, the door opened again and two people entered, Larry Butz in an ugly Christmas sweater and Maggey Bryde in a Blue Badger shirt and unzipped hoodie, both smiling like crazy, both carrying a present. "Merry Christmas, everybody!" Larry announced as he entered, then his and Maggey's eyes focused on the little girl standing next to Edgeworth, and the Butz asked the question that had been plaguing Gumshoe before the detective could. "Hey, Nick, who's the kid?"

"Alright!" came a voice from the front door, still open, and everyone turned to see Maya and Pearl Fey standing there, holding quite a few presents. "I'm looking for the best little girl in the whole wide world, because she has some presents to open!" Maya spoke the words authoritatively, like a commander in the army ordering her troops, but all the adults could also hear the clear humor in her voice.

The young girl in the red magician's outfit jumped up right away and ran over to the new guests, her face beaming. "That's me, that's me!" Trucy stared in awe at the presents in the medium's hands. "Aunt Maya, are all those gifts more me?!" She followed Maya as she moved to set her presents with the others, and Trucy turned quickly to give Pearl Fey a hug, who received it with surprised, slightly restrained reciprocation. "Merry Christmas, Pearl!" Then she threw her arms around Maya's legs, and said, "Merry Christmas, Aunt Maya!"

Maya looked down at Trucy, smiling from ear to ear, then around the room and saw the confused looks on Gumshoe, Maggey, and Larry's faces, before turning to look at Phoenix with her annoyance evident, cheeks puffed up and eyebrows angled downward. "Nick, did you not tell anyone about Trucy? That's super rude!"

Suddenly blushing from everyone, and yes literally everyone, focusing their attention on him, Phoenix rubbed at the back of his head and stumbled out, "Oh, uh, sorry you guys, I've been kind of busy, it must have slipped my mind." Then he motioned for Trucy to come back over to him, which she did right away, and cleared his throat before saying, "Everyone, this is Trucy Wright, my daughter." Eyebrows were raised, and Phoenix continued, "Trucy, these are some of daddy's friends. You already met Detective Gumshoe, this is Maggey Bryde, whose been my client a few times, and this is Larry Butz, someone I've known since I was your age."

Polite introductions went around, and Maya was just about to suggest opening presents to start with when several people's stomachs began growling, all at once. The spread wasn't as nice as last years, but everyone was able to share a nice amount of food, and as they did so conversations began. Just as Phoenix was finishing making his own plate, Gumshoe grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away from everyone else, a serious look on his face. "Why are you suddenly taking care of Zak Gramarye's daughter, pal?"

The question instantly raised Phoenix's hackles, and before he could think it through he whispered harshly, "She's my daughter, detective." After taking a breath to calm down, Phoenix started again. "Trucy didn't have anyone else. She has no known blood relatives, and her 'Uncle Valant' is under suspicion by the police and doesn't seem to want to take care of her anyway. I'm...I'm the reason Zak Gramarye disappeared, all because I couldn't see through that faulty evidence. Taking care of her is the right thing to do, and I care about her." A tense silence followed, with neither wanting to follow that up with anything. Starting to feel uncomfortable, Phoenix tried for something casual. "How's work been going, detective?"

Gumshoe's smile felt a little shallow, but that same sense of optimism he often seemed to radiate was still there. "It's different without you and Maya around, pal. I've been working a lot with that Klavier Gavin guy, but I still get to work with Mr. Edgeworth on a good day. There is this newer defence attorney though, I've been cross-examined by him a few times in court, and you won't believe this: he's Klavier Gavin's brother!"

"Kristoph," Phoenix said, nodding. "I've met him. Actually, he was the only member of the Bar Association to vote against taking my badge away, we've talked a little, here and there. He seems like a good attorney, and a pretty nice guy." While he didn't say it out loud, Kristoph had seemed a little distant, but that might have just been his way, and on the whole Phoenix had been grateful for the fact that someone still believed in him out there.

The detective scratched at an ear, thinking. "He definitely does things different from you, that's for sure, pal. Cool as a cucumber, really prepared, doesn't do a lot of shouting…" Then Gumshoe let out a sigh. "If I'm being honest, I really missed seeing you on the defence bench, pal. It's just not the same." The words made Phoenix's still-fresh wound throb in pain, but it did good to hear he wasn't forgotten by his friends. Maybe dependable was the best way to describe Gumshoe, after all.

Meanwhile, Maya sat next to her cousin on the couch, the older medium having devoured her plate of food immediately before turning to look at Pearl, who was nibbling on a piece of carrot, most of her food barely touched. "Pearl, what's been going on with you lately?" Maya asked her quietly. "You barely talk to me anymore."

For a moment, the girl still looked at her food, it didn't seem like she was going to answer. Then, in a small voice, she responded. "Mystic Maya...why are you being nice to me?" Tears started welling up in her eyes, before breaking and falling down her cheeks. "I...my mother...my sisters...we've done nothing but hurt you, Mystic Maya. You almost died, Mystic Misty died, and it was my fault."

Her words hit Maya like a sock in the gut, confirming fears Maya had felt brewing ever since the case at the Hazakura Temple. Maya had always feared that this would happen when Pearl learned the full truth about Aunt Morgan, but she'd never dreamed how terrible the reality would be. "Pearl, please don't blame yourself for what happened. Aunt Morgan and Dahlia Hawthorne are the ones who did all of that, not you. You're a kid whose mom asked her for help, and...I think Nick and I are partially responsible for it too. We never really told you what your mom had done, why she'd been sent to prison, because we thought we were helping you. But that wasn't the right thing to do. We need to be honest, because when we weren't, your mom was able to use you to try and kill me. So go ahead, ask me anything." This had been a long time coming, and Maya was on some level kind of grateful that Pearl had been the one to bring it up, so she didn't have to.

The tears were starting to slow down, and Pearl drew closer to her cousin, mind arace at things she could suddenly ask. "Mystic Maya...what did my mother do? Why was she sent to prison?"

Maya cringed internally. Why did her cousin have to ask the hardest question first? Taking a deep breath, Maya explained, "The thing is, Pearl, your mom hated my mom, and because of that she hates me and my sis too. She's older than my mom, and was supposed to be the next Master, but because her spiritual abilities weren't as good, it went to my mom instead. Dahlia and Iris were abandoned because they didn't have any spiritual powers, and in her mind you existed so you could become the next Master, like she wanted to be."

Looking down at the floor, Pearl was forced to face truths she had been avoiding for a long time. Mother had always treated Mystic Maya so respectfully, but sometimes she said things when Mystic Maya wasn't around that sounded mean. Thinking through what Maya had told her, Pearl asked, "But, that's impossible Mystic Maya. There's no way I could become the Master, I'm a member of the Branch Family."

"That's why Aunt Morgan was sent to prison," Maya said, wincing. "She planned to murder someone, working with Mimi Miney, and she did it so she could pin the crime on me. Once I was arrested for the crime, there wouldn't be anyone left in the Main Family. You'd be the closest relative left, and with your spiritual powers...you would have been granted the position, without question."

For a while, Pearl just thought. She'd wanted so badly to believe in her mother, to believe she had Mystic Maya's best interests at heart. But there had always been doubt, and over time it grew and grew. Looking at everything that had happened, Pearl looked back up at Maya, her eyes brimming with tears once more. "Mystic Maya, am I going to be a bad person too?" Mystic Maya looked hurt and confused, so Pearl continued. "My mother and sister did so many bad things, and they both tried to hurt you. What if I become a bad person? What if I try to hurt you too?"

Unable to stop herself any longer, Maya started crying as well, leaning down to place a kiss on the top of Pearl's head as she hugged her tighter. She could point out that Iris, her other sister, was by all accounts an incredibly wonderful, good person. But that still put her life in the hands of others. Instead, Maya whispered to her cousin, "Pearl, you could choose who you get to be. Your mother, Dahlia, just because you're related to them doesn't mean they get to choose who you are. You can be like them, or you can be like me and Iris, or you can be something else entirely. It's your choice." Freedom of choice was never something the village of Kurain had fostered in its youth, especially within the Fey family, but it was at that moment that Maya knew that once she was the Master, that was going to change.

Elsewhere in the office, Miles Edgeworth had just left the small bathroom and found himself facing Trucy Wright, who was looking up at him with wide, curious eyes. "Uncle Miles, what's your job?" Vocations were oddly central to the world of Trucy Wright, though considering her own induction into the illusionary arts at such a young age, it shouldn't have been much of a surprise.

Edgeworth found himself mildly offended that the young girl, despite having met several times, had never taken the time to learn much about him. "I'm a prosecutor," he told her in his rich baritone, the words clipped in a way that might have hurt the feelings of an ordinary child.

This was not an ordinary child. Her curiosity unsatisfied, she asked, "What does a prosecutor do?"

The girl's ignorance hit Edgeworth in his ego. As a child, he's immersed himself in the legal world as soon as he could. Then again, he realized, that was because his own father was an attorney. Trucy's father had been a magician, she had been raised in that world. Taking this as a chance to impart knowledge to the next generation, Edgeworth smiled and explained. "A prosecutor is a kind of attorney. We work with the government, with the police, to incarcerate criminals and protect the common good. Your father is, erm, was a defense attorney, so he worked to protect those accused of crimes from prosecutors."

For the first time since Edgeworth had met the girl, Trucy's mouth turned down into a frown. "My other Daddy got arrested though. Would you have tried to incarcerate him, just like the man who took Daddy's badge?" Trucy said the word 'incarcerate' like she didn't know what the word meant but did know that it wasn't a good thing at all.

"Hrmm," Edgeworth murmured, his mind going immediately to the years before he'd met Wright. Back then, his answer would have been simple, like his morality had been: yes, he would have worked to convict Zak Gramarye, and he would have done almost anything to ensure the verdict he desired. But Edgeworth was still working to push past who he had been, and chose to focus his answer to the girl on the man he now was, the man he strived to be. "That depends on if he did the crime, Trucy. I believe an attorney's duty is to find the truth, above all other things. I do look at things from the perspective of a prosecutor, I am inclined to doubt rather than trust, but I want to work with defense attorneys, with detectives, and with judges to discover what really happened, whatever the fallout from that may be."

Trucy's frown was gone, but now she looked conflicted. "But...what if what happened was really, really bad?" She looked down, her face now turned away from Edgeworth's gaze. "Maybe not knowing is better. Because...what if stuff like that's like a magic trick? People say they want to know how it's done, but they don't. Knowing just makes it worse."

Though wrapped in a magical analogy, Edgeworth had heard this argument before. He'd even told it to himself. For how long? Twenty years? Kneeling down, so he could look Trucy, eye to eye, Edgeworth told her the truth. "When I was around your age, I too had experienced things that few other children had. My past is filled with darkness and uncomfortable truths. For most of my life, I hid from them. But when you try to turn away from the truth, you envelope yourself in lies. They may be comforting lies, but at some point the weight will become too much, and you'll realize that things would have been much easier if you'd turned to see what was there from the beginning: the truth." It would be a difficult journey, but as Edgeworth and Trucy continued to look at each other, he saw the strength inside her, and knew she could manage what lay ahead.

"I don't think we've met before!" Maggey Byrde said to Larry, but standing by the food. "I'm heard a lot about you, from Mr. Wright, and Maya, and Detective Gumshoe too!" She wasn't about to tell him that only Maya had anything nice to say about Larry, but Maggey was an eternal optimist, and she hadn't seen anything yet that would confirm Mr. Wright's summation that he was a 'complete loser'.

It was hard for Maggey to take her eyes away from Larry's bright green sweater that looked like it was sewn by a blind person, and she could only vaguely tell the embroidery was supposed to represent an unopened present. Still, once her eyes traveled upwards enough to look at Larry's goatee'd face, she was surprised to see him frowning. "Yeah, well, don't let what they hurt your opinion of me too much. I've been trying to turn my life around, and stuff…"

A pang of pain went through Maggey. Sure, he hadn't been exactly wrong, but the fact he'd instantly jumped to his friends talking bad about him, it didn't feel right to her. She let out a weary, tired chuckle and nodded. "I know all about that. I'm the most unlucky person I've ever met. I've worked seven jobs in the last six years, but I just can't get anything to stick. The one place that will always accept me back...well, there's a lot of pain there, and I don't want to work there again if I can avoid it."

Larry closed his eyes and nodded, sagely. "I see, I see. Trust me, I've been there, dude. Aside from an awful dating life, my financial situation has never been what anyone would call 'stable'. Seems like my entire life, I was never able to do anything right." Maggey's eyes lit up. Was he going through the same stuff she had been? Had she found a fellow traveler down the unlucky path? "See, what I did was last year, I decided stuff had to change. I was tired of not liking who I was, so I read some self-help books and broke the cycle."

To say that Maggey was spellbound by what Larry was saying would be an understatement. Her attention rapt, she drew in closer. "So what did you _do_ , though?" If there was some way to escape the misery she'd been trapped in, Maggey would do almost anything.

"The thing is, I had to break my habits. It was always the same: chase after some girl way out of my league, do some job I hated to try and provide for her, and then lose both after I messed things up. The first step was putting romance aside, though that's been hard to do. I'm trying, though. More important than that, the real thing you need to do, is to do what **you** want to do. Throw out whatever's been stopping you, whatever's been causing you to settle with the way things are. I've always felt directionless, but it wasn't until a few years ago that someone pointed out I was pretty good at art, and after reading more into it I started working on it. Now, I'm close to finishing my first children's book, and for the first time in my life I'm feeling good about something I've done, about something I made." For the first time in a long time, Larry looked wise to an outsider. It was an odd look on him.

Maggey rubbed an arm, tension flooding her body. "Yeah, but, I don't really…" She let out a sigh. No job had ever really called to her the way being a police officer had. But after everything with Dustin...Maggey doubted she'd ever be able to return. "I found a job I really loved, once, but I can't do it again. I don't...have anything else." The words hurt to say, an admission that made her feel smaller, weaker, than she had since the day she'd been convicted of murder.

With a somber nod, Larry took that in. "What worked for me, won't necessarily work for you, dude. Just think about whatever it is in your life that you would love to do, but feel like you can't. Then, just throw away the can't and do it. It seems impossible, but once you decide to do it, it's actually pretty easy peasy, lemon squeezy." Maggey thought on the advice, grateful and surprised by how the conversation had gone.

It soon came time to open presents, and by far the star of the show was young Trucy Wright, who had gotten a new necklace from her father, enough casual clothes to last her a year and several Steel Samurai toys from Maya, and an investment portfolio from Edgeworth. "It's for her college fund. I won't say how much has been invested, but by the time she's ready for university, she should have a respectable sum to add to whatever financial aid she can get." Of course, Phoenix had to laugh to himself, Edgeworth would get her something so boring but practical. Despite that, Trucy seemed really touched by the gift, and gave her 'uncle' a big hug, after squeezing the life out of her Aunt Maya for her presents.

Larry had gotten Phoenix an early, work-in-progress copy of his first kid's book, which was weird considering he hadn't known that Phoenix had a young daughter. From Maggey, a handmade card, and from Detective Gumshoe a scrapbook of the cases they'd worked together. Phoenix did his best not to cry over it. Then Phoenix started opening the gifts from those who'd sent them, and he still could hardly believe it. Will Powers, Lana Skye, Max Galactica, Ron deLite, and Iris had all sent him presents. Nearly every client he'd ever taken a case for had sent him a gift to help with his quality of life and a card expressive their belief in his innocence, their well wishes in this tough time. A blender, gift cards, school textbooks for kids, and even a children's magic kit. (Which Phoenix was absolutely sure Trucy didn't need, but the thought was nice.)

By the time he'd finished them, he realized numbly that he'd been crying for a few minutes, Trucy hugging his side in comfort. Blinking them away, Phoenix smiled down at her and said, "Trucy, can you go get everyone else's gifts?" With a smile, she ran into the other room and quickly returned, passing out small wrapped parcels to each guest, who one by one looked at the items in their laps with confusion. Rubbing the back of his head, Phoenix said, "They aren't much, but we still splurged a little-"

Phoenix wasn't even able to finish his sentence, because before he could every single one of his guests started talking at the same time, their mass confusion overwhelming any ability for comprehension. Once they realized what was going on, everyone stopped and looked at Edgeworth. Realizing he'd been silently elected as their representative, he fixed Phoenix with an icy stare and said plainly. "We are not accepting these." His answer lit a fire in Phoenix, but his look hardened, silencing whatever protest Phoenix was about to give. "You have never been in the best financial situation, Phoenix, but you've lost your job and now you have to support **your** child. Even with the consulting work, and whatever money Trucy is able to raise with her magic, you are going to need to conserve money wherever possible and stretch out what you can. You are going to return these gifts for a refund, and whatever you can't return, you will keep and use. This is not up for debate."

One by one, they handed the gifts back to him, unopened. It was a hard pill for him to swallow, but Phoenix took a deep breath. Edgeworth was right. This was the responsible thing to do. "...next year, I'll do cards, okay?" Everyone seemed mollified by that, except for Edgeworth, whose stare returned, making Phoenix cringe. "Homemade! Homemade!"

The party continued for a little while after that, but once it started getting late enough that Phoenix had to take Trucy home to get to sleep, he ushered everyone out. It had been a good night, and he hoped to continue the tradition in the years to come. It gave his life some semblance of stability, not to mention the suggestion of a social life. As everyone walked out of the building, Maggey pulled Gumshoe aside, away from everyone else. "What's going on, Maggey?" the detective asked, confused.

The young woman had done a lot of thinking over the course of the evening. She wanted more than anything else to move on with her life, to change things. And when she was forced to think about the one thing she knew she wanted, but felt was impossible, Maggey knew she had to act on it immediately. It was time to cast aside her doubts, her fears, and just do it already. "Detective, I'm not blind, you know that, right?" Her questions seemed to catch him out of nowhere, and she continued while he was stunned. "It took me a while, but I've noticed that, well, that you like me, sir."

Gumshoe felt immediately like his world was crashing down around him. He'd been fearing this for years: she'd finally figured out how he felt, and now she was going to let him down gently. He braced himself as she looked sad and continued. "It's hard, after Dustin...we had been so serious, and it ended so terribly. I haven't dated since then, and you...you trained me, sir. You're almost a decade older than I am, and I really like the camaraderie we've built together. If things ended badly, losing that...it would hurt, a lot."

It was confusing the detective greatly that, so far, she hadn't actually said how she felt about him. Then, to his surprise, she started smiling at him, a warmth radiating from her that he hadn't seen in a long time. "Someone told me earlier tonight that if I want my life to get better, I need to think about what I want, and toss aside the things stopping me. So, what I'm trying to say is…" Maggey took a deep breath and then said, quite quickly, "Detective,willyougoonadatewithmethisweekendorwheneveryouhavetimeoff?"

After deciphering they speedy delivery, Gumshoe's brain almost shut off. This...couldn't be real, could it? Once he realized she was staring at him now, waiting, blushing, he coughed and said, "Well, yeah, pal, that sounds great." They both knew this was going to be a risk, but they were both ready to take it, relieved that one had finally asked the other.

Less than an hour later, after tucking Trucy into her small bed, Phoenix walked over to his one, both still living in his one bedroom apartment. Finally ready to get some sleep, it hit him out of nowhere that, for the first time in four years, he hadn't received a statue from Frank Sahwit. He'd never cared for the gifts at all, but their sudden absence weighed heavily on him as he tried to fall asleep. Things were going to be okay. They had to.


	5. Chapter 5

December 24th, 5:15pm

Wright Talent Agency

Another year, another Christmas party. As exhausting as it was to put together in the last few months, Phoenix had to admit, if only to himself, that he relished the normality the party brought. Sure, he saw his various friends throughout the year, especially Maya and Pearls, but getting everyone together was something special, something to take away from the gaping chasm of lost meaning his life was suffering from. So he'd thrown himself into it, with Trucy's help of course.

And so he found himself, standing in their office, which now looked like it was decorated by an elf who only had a ten dollar budget, with most of the furniture taken to the other room to allow for more space for folding chairs and tables. Setting all this up had taken the wind out of him, so he sat next to Trucy, feeling proud of himself. Sure, it was easy to work on stuff like this when he had so little else to do, but work was work.

Phoenix didn't like to think about work. Trucy was beginning to earn something of a fan following, and she was pulling in twice as much money per month as last year, but it was still not nearly enough to live off of. Edgeworth was still offering him consulting work, but it felt like those requests were coming in more and more infrequently. Phoenix had found another way to make money, playing poker at this Russian restaurant across town. If anything good had come from Zak Gramarye, aside from Trucy, it was that Phoenix had learned how good he was at the game. They were surviving, budgeting enough that they were sustainable, if only barely. Grossberg's investment was the primary reason they'd been been able to keep the office, without it they'd have been in even worse dire straits. More than likely, they'd have to have chosen between the office and the apartment.

Someone started knocking quickly on the door, breaking Phoenix out of his train of thought. It was for the best, he decided as he approached the door, Trucy following with her most excited smile on display. This was a party, he shouldn't focus on everything making life difficult. Opening the door, he found Maya by herself, looking inside the room confusedly as she entered. "Where's everyone else? Are they all even later than I am?" she asked, still scanning the room as if they were hiding behind Charley.

Giving her a smile, Phoenix admitted, "Since you're always so late to things, I told you the wrong time. The party starts at six, not five." Maya puffed out her cheeks in anger, faking more anger than she actually felt. Then, Phoenix noticed that Maya was alone. "Where's Pearl? I thought she was coming too."

The faux rage subsided to genuine sadness. "Pearly was really excited to come, but she had a coughing fit last night. This morning, she woke up with an awful fever, so I didn't let her come." Both Maya and Pearl looked at Trucy, whose face didn't betray even a hint of sorrow. But with her, they both knew that didn't mean anything. Trucy didn't show her sadness the way most kids did, but they knew her well enough to know that Pearl not being there made her sad. Maya perked up with an effort of willpower. "But that doesn't mean we can't have fun, right Trucy? It's still Christmas."

For the next half hour, the two chatted amiably while Maya snacked, Trucy telling her favorite aunt all about what had happened in the last week at school and everything she'd been watching on television. A sharp, precise knock interrupted their conversation, and with a renewed skip in her step Trucy came to the door and opened it, only to see a woman she'd never met before, wearing a light blue dress that matched her hair, one that looked incredibly expensive. The other two people in the room did recognize the young woman who was now looking down at Trucy, an inscrutable expression on her face. "You must be Ms. Trucy Wright, correct? I am Franziska von Karma. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Then, she knelt down and extended a hand, which Trucy shook.

Once that was over, Franziska turned to Maya and Phoenix. Surprised to see her there, Phoenix said, "Not that I'm not happy to see you, Franziska, but what are you doing here? Also," he added, looking at a nearby clock, "the party isn't until six, why are you here so early?"

If Franziska had had her whip on her, Phoenix was sure she would have used it on him. Luckily, she was disarmed, so a scowl had to suffice. "A von Karma always arrives fifteen minutes early to social engagements, to prove their superior punctuality." The scowl fell into a more neutral expression as she continued. "As for why I am here, you have been sending me invitations every year since 2018."

It was true. "Well, you didn't show up before, so we weren't expecting you." Ever since she'd helped them out with the Matt Engarde case, Maya had thought it would be a good idea to add her to the mailing list. After she'd stayed up all night in a freezing cave, doing her best to rescue Maya, Phoenix was actually hoping she'd show up at the party last year, but she'd never responded to their attempts at contact. Phoenix had tried not to let that get him down. Regardless of how far things had improved between them, Franziska was a closed-off person, and he knew he shouldn't hold his breath on that changing.

A classic Franziska smirk reared its head in response to Phoenix's remark. "I sometimes forget how foolishly limited your memory is, Mr. Phoenix Wright. I work as international prosecutor, and I am rarely in the United States. However, my little brother will not be able to attend your party this year, a case came up at the last minute that is requiring his attention. He asked me to come in his stead, and I granted the request as a Christmas present." Then she turned her attention to the food. "Why am I not surprised that this party is catered so poorly?" Franziska shrugged and walked over to the food. "Well, I may as well be a good houseguest and partake in your proverbial bread and salt."

Things were quiet for a few minutes, as Phoenix and Maya weren't exactly sure how to interact with Franziska outside a case, and Trucy was just watching everything she did. Then a slow, resonant knock on the door caught Phoenix's attention at exactly six, and he opened the door to see a defense attorney in a dark purple suit. "Kristoph! I'm glad you could make it," Phoenix said with a grin, and the two shook hands.

Kristoph answered Phoenix's expression with its more reserved cousin, a polite smile. "I'm usually busy around this time of year, but my parents are visiting relatives in Germany and Klavier is touring with his band, so I really had to reason to refuse." Stepping into the room, the newcomer nodded to Trucy. "Hello again, Trucy, it's a pleasure to see you again." He walked up to Maya, a hand extended, which she shook. "Ms. Fey, I believe? Phoenix has told me quite a bit about you." Then he turned his attention to the woman with the cold gray eyes surveying him with suspicion. "And you are?"

Pointedly not approaching the man or offering a handshake, she replied, "I am Franziska von Karma, international prosecutor and acquaintance of Phoenix Wright. I am sure you are charmed to meet me. Who exactly are you?" Phoenix and Maya rolled their eyes at her introduction, but Kristoph didn't react at all, his face still placid and calm, whatever emotions lurked deeper beneath the surface.

"I don't think 'charmed' quite does it justice. I'm sure everyone in the legal world has heard of your courtroom exploits, Ms. von Karma," he began, no one but Trucy missing the hidden edge to his words. "As for myself, I am no celebrity. My name is Kristoph Gavin, and I operate the Gavin and Co Law Offices, as well as serving on the local Bar Association." That was the last time Kristoph Gavin and Franziska von Karma spoke to each other, as far as anyone witnesses can attest.

The silence was icy, no one daring to break it, when suddenly, without knocking, Detective Dick Gumshoe entered with Maggey Byrde, the two holding hands. This brought a smile to Phoenix's face. The two had been dating all year, and after a few rough patches where one made a major blunder, the issue caused more due to them trying to hide the mistake than the act itself, they'd been getting along swimmingly for the last six months. After the two filled their own plates with food, everyone decided to do presents, which had been sent in ahead of time this year.

This time, nearly all the presents were for Trucy, who loved opening them. From Maya and Pearl she received some cool mystical looking items from Kurain, thinking they'd add great aesthetic to her magic acts. From Gumshoe and Maggey, who didn't have a lot to give, she got a large box of clothes they'd been able to get on the cheap, all of it either her size or a little larger, for her to grow into. From Kristoph, a lovely arrange of nail polishes, high-quality and in a variety of shades. From Franziska, a thick book on the study of deception and misdirection. It looked a little ahead of her reading level, but Phoenix felt that Franziska was at the very least trying to match her interests. Other presents abounded, from Phoenix himself, from Edgeworth, from Will Powers, but in the end very few of them were for Phoenix, which was fine to him. After all, his present was with him all year round.

Once that was done, Phoenix signalled Trucy, who went into the back room and came out with a stack of handmade cards, handing them out to each guest in turn. They were made of high-quality cardstock, something he'd found in the office storage a long time ago, and decorated with a festive drawing of Phoenix, Trucy, Santa Claus, and Charley. Inside, each had a personal message written in calligraphy pen, unique for the recipient. Phoenix could read the shock on everyone's faces, even Franziska's and Kristoph's, at the quality of the cards, and felt for the first time in a long while that his time majoring in Art at Ivy U had actually come in useful. He was also very grateful they'd actually prepared one for **everyone** invited, because he almost didn't make one for Franziska.

After they read their cards, Phoenix thought they were going to transition to their usual period of conversation before the party ended, but Gumshoe fished a box out of his coat, small enough to fit in one hand and wrapped in cheap Christmas themed paper. Then, he held it out to Maggey, who took it, looking confused. "I thought we already exchanged presents yesterday? I appreciate the thought, but I don't think we can afford another gift…" Despite her protests, she took off the wrapping paper to find a small cardboard box.

Inside that was some packing peanuts and a jewelry box, an old and worn one, and inside that was a ring. It was made of silver, worn through the years and inset with a small emerald, and Maggey's shocked eyes moved from it to the giver of the gift, who was now on one knee in front of her. "The ring belonged to my grandmother, Maggey, and when she passed it to me she told to give it to the woman I want to marry. For a long time, it sat in my closet, cause I never thought I'd meet a woman who would put up with me. But...the last year has been the best of my entire life, and I want to stay with you forever. So, Maggey, what I'm trying to ask is, will you marry me?"

The entire room's eyes were on Maggey now, who was looking between the ring and her boyfriend, and tears began to well up in her eyes. "Yes," she finally said, quietly. "Yes, I'll marry you." Tentatively, Gumshoe reached out, took the ring, and slipped in on Maggey's finger. Maya, Trucy, and Phoenix began clapping excitedly, and Kristoph joined in soon after, politely, despite not really knowing either of them.

"There was room for improvement, Scruffy, but I must say, well done," Franziska said, before adding a light clapping of her own to the chorus. From there, it became a cacophony of congratulations and excited, nervous energy, which only dissipated after everyone had gotten it out of their system, though Gumshoe still wasn't able to stop smiling and Maggey couldn't stop looking at her ring. The two were standing side by side, nibbling at crackers and staring into each other's eyes, when Maya approached them, her eyes still watery.

"Congratulations!" It must have been the fiftieth time they'd heard it, but they were still too happy to really care. And Maya meant it, too. She'd been rooting for them since before they got together, and seeing them develop as a couple had been amazing for her. "Have you both thought about a date? Or where to do it?"

Since he was the one who knew in advance, both girls looked at Gumshoe, who was ruffling his hair with one hand. "Well, I think Maggey and I need to talk about that. I'll need to request the time off from work, but that shouldn't be an issue, I've saved up a lot of vacation time. As for where...I got no clue, pal. All I knew was that I wanted to be with her, I still gotta work out the rest of the details."

Unable to stop herself, Maggey stop taller on the tips of her toes and landed a surprise kiss of Gumshoe's unshaven cheek, making the detective blush even more than he already was. Then, Maggey turned her attention to Maya. "If you don't mind me asking, how's your love life been? I don't think we've ever talked about it before, and it's made me kind of curious."

Both had expected the new topic would have embarrassed Maya or make her show them her mischievous smirk as she regaled them with fun stories, but neither thought she would turn her gaze downwards, suddenly looking very small and very young. "I, uh, haven't had anything worth talking about. I've liked a few people here and there, but it never went anywhere. They never reached out to me, and I never said anything to them."

Confused at the source of Maya's sadness, Maggey threw out, "Well, I've heard how your cousin Pearl sees you and Mr. Wright getting together. Have you ever thought about asking him out?"

"Ask out Nick?" Maya hissed, looking utterly befuddled by the idea. "Nick's a goober! He's weirdly passionate about ladders, and he lets everyone walk all over him, and he never tells anyone what he's really thinking!" Then she shook her head, and added, "Plus, he's not my type."

Feeling the urge to defend his friend, Gumshoe butted in. "Hey, Mr. Wright isn't that bad. He's brave, and he's always trying to do what's right. I know he cared about you a lot, pal." Maggey nodded in agreement, but that didn't mean much to Maya.

Feeling frustrated, Maya said more than she'd meant to. "It's not just that. He's...my friend. My **best** friend. We're always there for each other, and I don't want that to change." Letting out a huff of irritation, she continued, "I know more than most people do that relationships don't last forever, and when they explode they can be rough. I haven't seen my dad since I was a kid, and Pearl's never even met her father. I won't...I can't have that happen with Nick. Honestly, I don't know about dating anyone, not right now." With that said, Maya withdrew from her friends and sat down by herself. She didn't cry, but she sure as hell wasn't feeling good. Old wounds had been opened fresh, and Maya was left to contemplate them once again.

Meanwhile, Kristoph Gavin emerged from the bathroom and found Phoenix waiting nearby, looking like he was ready to talk about something. With seemingly no other options, Kristoph approached him. "Thank you again for the invite, Phoenix. This evening has certainly been...interesting."

Looking embarrassed, Phoenix chuckled. "Sorry about that, I didn't know Detective Gumshoe was going to do that. I know you don't know him very well, and you've never met Maggey. Still, I hope the party isn't too low brow for you."

Kristoph shook his head and let out a laugh so quiet Phoenix couldn't actually hear it. Smiling amiably, he clarified, "Oh no, I wasn't referring to that. No, I found the proposal quite touching, and I will certainly send the good detective a wedding present when the day of matrimony arrives. No, I was more referring to the attendance by Ms. von Karma."

Remembering their tete-a-tete from earlier, Phoenix nodded. "Oh, well, sorry about that, then. I know she's a little abrasive, but she's not really a bad person. She actually saved the day, more than once." If anyone had told him that he'd be saying such things about Franziska before everything she'd done in the Matt Engarde case, Phoenix would have thought they were crazy. The woman he knew then was a monster, a younger, more feminine version of her father, but he'd seen since then that wasn't true.

Phoenix's defend of her seemed to confuse Kristoph. "I know you're not a lawyer anymore, Phoenix, but I still find it odd that you'd willingly associate yourself with her. Thanks to her father, the von Karma name taints everyone attached to it. Your friend Miles has barely escaped with mild suspicion, but her? I'd be quite surprised if she's still working in the legal world ten years from now."

While his new friend had never been the warmest person, his softly worded bile regarding Franziska's worth and career made Phoenix's hackles rise. His smile completely gone, replaced with a frustrated frown, Phoenix told Kristoph, "I'm sorry you see her that way, but she's my friend, Kristoph, and while you're around me I'd prefer it if you didn't talk about her that way." It was the first time in his life he'd referred to Franziska as his friend, but he meant every word.

Nodding in understanding without his face betraying even a wisp of emotion, Kristoph changed the subject. "You know Phoenix, I sometimes think back on that case that ended your career. I'm sorry if bringing it up brings any bad memories, but I have to ask: have you gotten any leads on Zak Gramarye? I can't believe someone with your investigative talents has found nothing."

"No, I haven't found a clue all year." More than anything else, Phoenix was frustrated by the lack of progress on that investigation. All his leads had dried up, and it was beginning to feel more and more like he was never going to find anything more, that his curiosity would never be sated.

Putting a hand on Phoenix's shoulder, Kristoph gave his friend a comforting smile. "Well, you are Zak's lawyer, are you not? Mayhaps he may seek you out on his own? Maybe he already has. If he did, you do know you can trust me, don't you? I want to help you however I can, my friend."

Phoenix replied in kind with a grin, but shook his head. "No, he hasn't, and I don't think he ever will. I'm sure he's heard what's happened to me, and thinks I'd be pretty pissed off if I saw him. I'm starting to think I'm never going to see Zak Gramarye again, for better or worse." From there, the conversation moved onto some of Kristoph's recent cases.

Nearby, Franziska von Karma was talking with Trucy Wright, happy to answer the little girl's questions. She'd always had a weakness for Mädchen, and this one was especially curious and respectful. It didn't hurt that she'd overheard her father call Franziska a friend, which warmed her heart. It was about time the fool recognized her obvious overtures in improving their relationship. A new question appeared before Franziska could dwell more on that, however. "Do you have any family, Ms. Franziska von Karma?"

The girl had quickly noticed that Franziska preferred using full names with titles, and had followed suit, something Franziska approved of. "Yes, yes I do. I have a mother, a sister, a brother-in-law, and a niece, all of whom live in Germany. I also have an adopted brother." Work kept Franziska busy, but getting to see her family was always a special treat.

Looking confused, Trucy prodded, "But what about a daddy? You have a daddy, don't you? Did yours die like Aunt Maya's?"

Franziska of course was aware of the passing of Maya Fey's father, she had researched her life in exacting detail when she had prosecuted the girl, the memory of the case still a sore spot, once for the loss itself, now for the fact that she knew the girl was innocent of the crime. The question Trucy had asked her hit an even more vulnerable emotional weakness, but instead of showing it Franziska explained the situation to Trucy, logically. "Yes, Ms. Trucy Wright, I did have a father, but he has passed." Not willing to sugar coat the situation, Franziska continued. "My Papa was a prosecutor, like myself and my brother Miles. He was known as one of the greatest prosecutors in the world.

"However, it came to light several years ago that he had murdered Miles's father a long time ago, and he conspired with another man to have someone else killed, and framed my brother for the crime. Your father defended his friend, and revealed the truth to the world. After that, my Papa was convicted of both murders and sentenced to death, which was carried out." The young girl listened to all of this with rapt attention, putting together pieces of the story left unspoken.

Franziska waited for further questions, which didn't take long. "So, Uncle Miles is your brother? And your daddy killed his daddy? And my daddy figured all that out?" Franziska gave a curt nod, glad that the girl was quick enough to put all that together. Then, Trucy reached a hand out and touched Franziska's own, which was bare without her usual gloves. "Ms. Franziska von Karma, I'm really sorry that happened. I know what it's like to lose your daddy."

The empathy was welcome, and Franziska did not mind the differences between their situations. True, her father was not dead, but she likely still felt as abandoned by him as she felt regarding her Papa. She remembered confronting him the second she'd made it into the United States, begging him to tell her it wasn't true, that he'd been framed. But even in defeat, Manfred von Karma didn't give a single inch. He'd explained the truth to her, in detail. It turned Franziska's stomach to think about it even now, and while she would always love the man who had raised her, she would never forgive him for what he'd done to her beloved brother.

She was so lost in thinking about the entire situation all over again that she almost missed Trucy's next question. "Since you're Uncle Miles's sister, would it be okay if I called you Aunt Franziska?"

The question hit Franziska out of nowhere, but almost without thinking she smiled down at the girl and told her, "Of course you can, Trucy Wright." Like the girl, Franziska had grown up with a fairly malleable definition of family, and though she would never say she considered the girl's father like a brother, the man's daughter was already quite dear to her. The relationship between them that was forged that night would last Trucy's entire life, and of all her honorary aunts and uncles, though she would never admit it, Aunt Franziska may have been her absolute favorite.

As the night began to grow late, people started leaving, one by one, leaving Phoenix to clean everything up while Trucy did her best to help. Sometimes, he'd look at her and marvel at how much she'd grown in just a year and a half. She was already in middle school, and while it wasn't quite here yet, Phoenix knew puberty (and all that came with it) was looming on the horizon. Despite all this self-reflection, what Phoenix Wright didn't notice, what he wouldn't find for five more years, were the hidden cameras Kristoph Gavin had hidden in every room of the office. They'd be buried under accumulated junk, of that there was no doubt, but they would remain functional, giving the faux friend visual and auditory access to the office, all day and all night.


	6. Chapter 6

December 24th, 6:32pm

Wright Talent Agency

"You look nervous. What's up, Edgeworth?" The question seemed casual, but the one being asked feared a blade laid hidden inside. All the guests at the Wright Talent Agency's sixth Christmas party had started milling around, Edgeworth included, after Trucy had finished opening up her presents and Wright had handed everyone their Christmas cards, which seemed to be just as well made as the ones from the year before. Phoenix, however, wasn't the same.

While on the whole his outfit resembled the one he normally wore for formal occasions, the lack of a blue jacket was notable, especially considering it had been replaced with a gray hoodie, left unzipped. His posture was a lot more relaxed, and there was something in his eyes that Edgeworth didn't care for. It didn't help that Edgeworth was genuinely nervous, but he didn't want to reveal why. Taking a subtle effort to appear more casual, or at least more stoic, he replied, "My apologies, I haven't been sleeping well lately."

A loose nod was what Edgeworth got in response. "I can understand that. I've had a lot on my mind too." Taking a slow look around the office room, Phoenix asked, "Is it me, or were there more people at last year's party? And the year before that, for that matter. Plus, not a lot of gifts coming in. Thanks for yours, by the way, Trucy will definitely need all the help she can get with clothes, she's been outgrowing them like crazy."

Setting his jaw, Edgeworth tried to deflect the compliment. "I'm sure that people will be more likely to show up next year, Wright. Your cards, once mailed, will surely help them recall. As for my gift, think nothing of it. It's the least I could do." Really, even at the amount he'd put on the clothing store gift card, Edgeworth felt like he could have done more.

"It kinda is, isn't it?" Phoenix replied, catching Edgeworth off-guard. His old friend didn't appear angry, or upset, just...unnervingly calm. "I mean, you're still pulling in that city prosecutor money, right? Meanwhile, Trucy and I are barely making enough to cover our apartment's rent with our combined incomes. Would have been a better year if you'd offered me more than two consults in twelve months."

Edgeworth flushed at the direct jab, and promptly excused himself so he could sit in the bathroom and steady himself. Phoenix had every right to his ire, but Edgeworth didn't expect it to display itself so openly, so venomously, or so casually. What was Wright doing? Was he trying to push everyone away?

Meanwhile, just outside the bathroom, Pearl Fey and Trucy Wright were talking. Though the medium was two years the magician's elder, no one would be able to tell by looking at them, both looking like pre-teens in odd costumes. While it had taken some time for the bond between them to form, the two balanced each other out quite well. Pearl found in Trucy a friend who would always listen to her troubles, especially the ones she couldn't tell Mystic Maya, and Trucy found in Pearl someone who wouldn't judge her by her eccentric behavior. One's quietness matched the other's talkativeness, and each was the first friend around her age the other had ever really made.

After regaling Pearl with the latest events of Season Five of the Jamming Ninja, which was somehow still on the air, Trucy suddenly found herself asking, as the question appeared in her head, "So, why isn't Aunt Maya at the party this year?" It wasn't like the Christmas parties were the only time of the year Trucy got to see her second-favorite aunt, but her absence was still notable.

Pearl was still trying to deal with the fact her cousin had been given such an informal nickname by her friend, one unbecoming of the future Master of the Kurain Technique, but no amount of reprimanding has worked on the little magician. That didn't mean Pearl was going to stop trying, however. " **Mystic** Maya had an important meeting with the Kurain Elders tonight, but she promised to come and spend the day with you and Mr. Nick when she's able to, Pearl. How have your shows been going?"

The sound of her favorite topic in the world being brought up turned the ten year old's face into a toothy smile. "It's been really good! I've been getting better and better with my tricks, and with ventriloquism for Mr. Hat, and I'm starting to get better tips, and some regular returning fans, and…" mid run-on sentence, Trucy had a brilliant idea. "...PEARLY!" The shout made Pearl blink, but she nodded to show she was all ears. "You should be my assistant! You're so pretty, and your clothing is really mystical, and it would be perfect!"

For a second, Pearl Fey let herself imagine being on stage with Trucy, on-stage in front of a crowd of people, everyone's eyes focusing on her, the attention making her slip up, ruining Trucy's act, making Trucy hate her… "I, I'm honored by the request, Trucy, but I don't think I could. Maybe you could ask Mystic Maya? I'm sure she wouldn't mind helping you practice, at the very least." Pearl liked her friend very, very, very much, but not quite enough to fight her stage fright.

Not far away, Detective Dick Gumshoe let out a sigh and took a bite of the chex mix someone had brought. Completely oblivious to the man's somber mood, Mr. Butz, clad this year in another shockingly horrible Christmas sweater, approached the detective and slapped him on the back, hard. If this guy had any upper body strength to speak of, it might have to make Gumshoe choke on the snack food. "How's it going, Dick? You and Maggey gotten hitched yet?"

Frowning, Gumshoe took stock of the smaller man smiling at him. Despite their mutual friends, Dick Gumshoe and Butz had never been any closer than acquaintances, and Gumshoe didn't see that changing anytime soon. "The name's Gumshoe to you, pal, and," raising both his hands up, he continued, "do you see a ring on any of these fingers?"

Nodding as though he were some sort of wise sage, Butz replied, "Ah, I see, I see. Totally get ya, my dude. Planning a wedding is tough, let me tell you, I know. So much to think about: the venue, the guestlist, the catering, what to wear, it's enough to drive you crazy." Then, Butz looked around and realized something. "Wait, where's Maggey? Why're you all on your lonesome?"

Not exactly happy at having his plights so casually brought up, Gumshoe's frown became an outright scowl. "She's at her parent's house for the holidays. It was the only way we could get them to agree to attend and help pay for the wedding." It still amazed him that Maggey's parents were low-level millionaires, though her past distancing from them hadn't done much to help them with their current issues, let alone the fact they weren't much of a fan of the gruff, hairy man a decade older than their princess who was there to take her from them. "Last I heard, you hadn't been married, Butz, so how are you an expert, huh pal?"

From what Gumshoe had seen of the amateur artist, he would have expected an overblown angry reaction from his question, with flailing arms and gnashing teeth. Instead, he just looked kind of sad. "I've never been married, nah, but I've been close, a few times. I've looked at tuxes, I've tried food, I've planned tables." That surprised the hell out of Gumshoe, and he felt like a bit of a jerk for taking out his frustration on him.

It was only then that he remembered...hadn't Maggey credited this guy with giving her the advice that led to their first date? Maybe this Harry Butz guy wasn't such a bad guy after all. Before he could ruminate more on the character of a man he didn't know the real name of, his attention was pulled to Mr. Edgeworth, grabbing his coat and hurriedly walking out the door. Looking in the direction of where he came, he saw Mr. Wright heading into the other room, and Harry was hot on his heels.

"Hey, Nick, wait up!" Larry called as he ran through the office building, catching up to his old friend, who looked at him with eyes that told him absolutely nothing about how the guy was feeling inside. "Dude, what happened with Edgey? I know it's getting late, but rushing out without saying goodbye is weird even for him."

Slowly, a smile spread across Nick's face, but there was nothing jovial about it. "Seems he was getting tired of being around me. I'm surprised it took him that long. I mean, he was so nervous all night, if he didn't want to be here, he shouldn't have attended." Then he shrugged. "Oh well, I'll be fine."

Nick's words struck a nerve with Larry, and he fired back. "You know why Edgey was nervous? It's because he's really conflicted!" Larry's words made Nick focus on him a little more, and whatever facade of banality he'd been using fell away to something more serious. "The dude cares about you, Nick, and Trucy too! He wants to help you out as much as he can, and he wishes he could come over more, but he freaking can't! Edgey's trying to climb the ladder, make a difference, and that's really hard to do when-"

"When **what** , Larry? When he associates himself with me?" Nick cut in, temper flared and eyes heated.

He wasn't expecting the response he got. "Yeah, that's basically it!" The confirmation hit Nick like a physical blow, but Larry just kept on going. "Dude, Edgey believes you're innocent, so do the rest of us. But a lot of people don't, and some of those people are really high-up where Edgey works. He's been playing politics trying to make something of himself, but every time he connects himself to you it shoots him in the foot."

Gritting his teeth, Nick shot back, "Then why did he even bother coming? Why did he talk to you about this, and not me?"

Looking at his friend like he'd grown an extra head, Larry tried to explain this better. "He came because he cares about you, dude! And you want to know why he didn't bring it up himself? Look at how you're reacting to me right now! Edgey's good at a lot of stuff, but interpersonal drama isn't something he can do, so he's been avoiding it. I understand why, too, you've been acting like a dick lately!"

By this point, Nick's look was positively venomous. "Oh, well, _sorry_ if I haven't been much of a ball of sunshine, Larry, but I'm trying to raise a kid while making next to nothing, so I've been a bit on-edge. Then again, what would you know about responsibility, you've never been where I am now." Every word left Nick's mouth like he was talking down to a four-year old kid.

"Yes I have." Larry's response wasn't a shout, or a yell, but a quiet, dangerously calm retort. "I've been living paycheck to paycheck most of my life, dude. I didn't go to college like you did, and I've never felt like my life wasn't about to fall apart within the next week. And I have a kid too. I don't have custody of her, but I get to see her now and then, and I send money whenever I can afford it." Nick was stunned, having never heard any of this before. His voice still low and level, Larry continued. "You know why you didn't know any of this, Nick? Because you've never asked me about how I'm doing. You never look into my life. And that's fine. We're old friends, and I help you out when I can, I'm fine being goofy and silly and whatever. But if this is how you're going to treat your friends, you're not going to have any, man."

Having said what he wanted to say, Larry turned around and walked out of the office, not saying a single word to anyone else as he left. The party fell apart soon after that, and Phoenix was left to think over what Larry had said. Had he always been neglecting him? Looking back, he realized that in his last few years as an attorney he'd become callous towards him, taken Larry for granted, or seen him as a nuisance. And now Larry had had enough.

It was time for another long year, Phoenix reflected as he started putting things away, saving what was left of the snacks for later consumption. Another year of doing his best to raise Trucy, help her with her magic shows, playing poker for whatever money the Borsh Bowl Club would pay him, and trying to survive. And maybe, if he was lucky, one or two friends would still be with him next Christmas.


	7. Chapter 7

"You're a fool, Phoenix Wright." The words shocked Phoenix out a reverie, having stepped outside of that year's Christmas Party to get some fresh air in the street outside the building holding the Wright Talent Agency. Maya and Gumshoe came, along with Franziska, who was now accosting Phoenix, her gaze razor-sharp and focused entirely on him. It was a piss poor showing, but what was Phoenix expecting? Hell, maybe he should be happy that three whole people showed up. He was so good at alienating his friends by that point, it was impressive so many people were willing to be around him.

As Phoenix racked his brain for how to respond to the accusation thrown at his feet, Franziska looked him up and down, clearly taking note of how shabby he looked. Once again he'd replaced his blue jacket with a gray hoodie, this time zipped all the way up. Not only that, his hair was completely ungelled. Phoenix's dark brown, bordering on black, hair wasn't styled in the slightest, just messily mussed up. He'd considered styling it for the event, but what would be the point? Maya had seen him like that before, but for Gumshoe and Franziska it was a first. All of that, plus the several weeks worth of not shaving leaving a layer of scruff all over his chin showed everyone how far he'd fallen. "So, I'm no longer 'Mr. Phoenix Wright'? Is that good or bad?" Then Phoenix shrugged. "Oh well, you're right anyway."

He delivered all of this to her with a carefree, bored but mildly pleasant expression on his face. One of the benefits of spending so much time playing poker all year, which was starting to earn him a decent wage now that his reputation was beginning to circulate, was that Phoenix's poker face had gotten damn good. Franziska looked like she'd just bitten into a lemon, clearly unhappy with something. Maybe everything? "The lack of care you've begun to show with your appearance does not become you."

That made Phoenix laugh. "Really?" He continued chuckling, no mirth to be found in the sound. "How is that true, exactly? I don't know if you remember, but I'm not Phoenix Wright, semi-famous lawyer. I'm Phoenix Wright, pianist and poker player." His last sentence came out dripping with bitterness and self-loathing.

"You are who you choose to be." The words were softly delivered, nothing hidden inside them but naked compassion. Confused, Phoenix turned his head and saw Franziska looking at him with more open empathy than he'd ever seen before. "Phoenix Wright, you are someone who has done more good for this world than most fools can even imagine. You help not only those who put you in their employ, but also those who face you in court, even though they have never asked for it."

If that was supposed to make Phoenix feel better, it sure as hell wasn't working. Much the opposite in fact, as it only reminded him of the fact that instead of doing what he wanted more than anything else in the world, defending those who couldn't defend themselves. No, he was working himself to death just trying to keep him and Trucy safe and healthy. Something he'd been thinking about a few days before came back to him, and he looked at Franziska with a bland grin as he shot back, "Did you realize I've spent more time with my badge stripped of me than I had with it poking through my lapel? Where did the time go…"

Scorn appeared at the edge of Franziska's expression once again, but this time tempered with concern. "How can you be such a foolish fool? You've spent that time raising your daughter. Has that been a waste of your time? Would you trade Trucy for a scrap of metal?"

Her question pierced the cynicism and self-doubt Phoenix had surrounded himself with, and without thinking he immediately shot back, "No! Of course not." The idea of losing Trucy, of not being her dad anymore...no. He wouldn't give that up, give her up, even for the chance to defend in court again. Looking at Franziska, whose eyes shone with something like approval at the reaction she'd gotten, Phoenix let out a huff. "I appreciate the reminder about what's important, but that isn't going to magically make me feel better about having my career stripped away from me. No one understands what I'm going through-"

That was apparently the worst possible thing Phoenix could have said. Any light joviality that had settled into Franziska's body language was gone now, her face frozen over into something truly glacial. "Fool." Phoenix had heard her use the word before, frequently in fact, but it had never been wrung out of her lips with such enmity and hostility before that moment. "You think you are the only one to have their career shredded to pieces through no fault of their own? Perhaps you should ask Miles Edgeworth what it was like to discover that his own mentor had given him forged evidence to use in his first ever case, where he used it to have a man sentenced to death. Have you ever asked me what my father's fall from grace has done to affect my life? The lives of my family? I have always known you to be a self-righteous, thick-headed fool, but never have I known you to be so cruel as to say anything like that."

Any anger, any indignation Phoenix had been feeling was trampled under the guilt Franziska had barrelled him down with. That was the problem with miring yourself in the worst of your own situation: it blinded you to the suffering of everyone else. Phoenix bowed his head to Franziska, masking his shame with a stoic poker face. "You make an excellent point, sorry I said that." That seemed to cool her anger a little, and they stood in silence for a few minutes, taking in the crisp night air. "What the hell am I going to do now?" That caught her attention, so he continued, "My investigation into the evidence forgery has completely dried up, I have no leads left. That case was the only thing keeping me grounded, without it I'm left spinning in the wind, I don't know what I'm going to do with myself."

They both looked out into the Los Angeles winter night, Phoenix wondering how she was going to respond. Would Franziska demand he delve back into the case, ask for perfection? Would she find his need for something to investigate childish, a weakness? "If you must turn your righteous indignation outward, lest it coil inside you and drive you into melancholy, find a new cause. Keep your ear open in regard to the Gramarye case, to be certain, but there are many other things in our world that could be improved with the help of your skillset."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence," Phoenix replied with a smile he didn't feel, "but I don't have an attorney's badge anymore. How am I going to investigate? What can I even do with the results I find?"

Franziska looked at him like he was the dumbest man on Earth. "You rarely had permission to investigate even with your attorney's badge. You have flouted the law frequently to achieve the goals you strive for, and anyone can see you aren't as hampered by a need for the truth as my little brother is. Even without your badge, you can inspire change, you can reawaken hope, and you can make a difference." Then, her hand found his, skin to skin, and Phoenix was shocked by how warm and small her hand was, as it gripped his own. "Do not lose yourself, Phoenix Wright. I would never forgive you." Then her hand was gone, and she went back inside. He didn't immediately follow her, instead pondering exactly what he was going to do with that advice. It wasn't long before he had an answer, and entered the building to return to the party. Perhaps there was something Phoenix could do with himself, after all.


	8. Chapter 8

December 24th, 5:44pm

Wright Talent Agency

Of all the inane, foolish things Franziska von Karma had expected when attending the second Wright Talent Agency Christmas Party in a row, none of them included being addressed with the opening line, "Hey Franzy, what's crack-a-lackin'?" Holding a paper plate with some grapes on it, the only acceptable food offered by the party's host, Franziska turned to see Larry Butz had entered the room, skipping any kind of festive adornment for an orange suit jacket over a shirt some fools would describe as 'stylish'. He looked her up and down, clearly taking a moment to absorb the perfect dress she'd chosen for the occasion, one that had easily made her the most radiant person in the room. Of course, considering that the options were herself, this orange fool, Phoenix Wright, and Pearl Fey, it was not as though Franziska had much competition. "Did you get that check I sent you for the picture book royalties?"

When their original encounter during the case involving the murder of Maya Fey's mother had ended with the amateur artist asking her permission to make her the star of a children's picture book, Franziska had not expected Larry Butz of all people to follow through on his offer. Yet, one way or another, _Franzy's Whip Lash Splash_ was now a well selling book for those just starting to learn the English written language. Raising one perfectly arched eyebrow to his question, Franziska responded, "Yes, I did. Why do you ask?"

Looking utterly unintimidated, Larry shrugged and replied, "Well, you didn't cash it."

Ah, so that was what this fool was so curious about. "The check was for $47.24 American dollars. I am an international prosecutor whose family traces back to Prussian nobility. You can keep those royalties, and any others you may receive from that book of yours." Of course, the fool could likely use the money himself, considering how he looked and dressed. But such charitable motives were not something Franziska von Karma would casually admit.

"Thanks, Franzy!" Looking at Larry Butz at that moment, genuine heartfelt happiness and gratitude practically overflowing from his smile, made him look slightly less foolish than usual. But then his expression grew serious, an odd look on such a man. "So," he began, lowering his volume enough that it wouldn't carry across the room to the man in whose office they now stood. "Am I the only one worried about Nick?"

He was not. Phoenix Wright had not dressed for their party any better than he had last year. In fact, he's stepped backwards, replacing slacks with sweatpants that matched the ratty hoodie. Franziska had hoped that her talk with him the year before would elicit some sort of recovery, but she refused to state he was getting worse. That would, after all, make her previous efforts a failure. "Phoenix Wright did mail out his Christmas cards well in advance this year, I received mine in November."

Larry Butz rolled his eyes in response. "Yeah, totally a sign things are back on track...or that he's got a lot of time on his hands." He gestured around him, to the messy space they were standing in. Over the last several years the fairly clean office that Phoenix Wright rented had begun devolving into chaos and disorder. Magic tricks and the clutter that normally was consigned to living spaces lay across every surface, and while some of it had been cleaned for the special occasion, it was still far, far too messy by Franziska's standards for even a semi-formal gathering. The conversation shifted to a more pleasant topic, and in her own mind, Franziska chose to believe in Phoenix Wright, to have faith that he would make her proud.

"Mr. Nick, where is Trucy?" was the first question out of Pearl's mouth when Phoenix sat down next to her on the company couch. Looking at the young girl, Phoenix found himself blinking, struggling to grapple with the obvious truth: Pearl was growing up. More than that, she was an actual teenager now, and her rapidly growing height and maturing features were a testament to that fact. She was only about two years older than Trucy...how long until Phoenix had to watch his daughter change this much as well?

After thinking for a moment to find the best way to phrase this to Pearl, Phoenix tentatively explained, "She's grounded, so I didn't let her come to the party." That clearly shocked her, Pearl's mouth falling agape at the words. "We have a system with her magic shows: if a venue is one we've performed at a lot, and nothing bad has happened, I'll sometimes let her do a show without me being there. It's something new we're trying out, but she broke that trust. She told me she was performing at the Wonder Bar, which has never given us any problems. But a friend of hers told me she'd actually done her show at Uncle Dave's Wonder Palace, a local kids restaurant, somewhere neither of us had been before." Letting out an annoyed sigh just at the thought of the deception, he finished, "I wish I didn't have to do this, but Trucy can't just break the rules like that."

Phoenix had expected Pearl to be upset at the news, the two had become fairly good friends in the years since Phoenix had first adopted his little magician. What he hadn't expected was the strange conflict of emotions that was evident on her face, Pearl's eyes watery as if on the verge of crying. Was she that upset at not being able to see her friend? "Mr. Nick…" she choked out, clearly scared to ask. "What do you mean by 'grounded'?"

The question didn't really clear things up for Phoenix, at least not at first. "Oh, that just means she can't come to the party, she can't go out with friends, things like that. It ends on Tuesday though, we're going out for ice cream to celebrate her return to freedom. She knows what she did wrong, and she knows not to do it again. I'm not the kind of dad who tries to make my kid suffer…" His words trailed off as he realized why Pearl was reacting that way. Among the many wrongs Morgan Fey did to her youngest daughter, her tendencies to corporal punishment were among them. Tears were starting to fall down Pearl's face, and Phoenix put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Pearl, I didn't mean to…" His voice trailed off, unable to think of how to put his regret into words.

But the little he'd done must have been worth something, because Pearl reached up with one hand to wipe away her tears and gave a weak smile to Phoenix. "I-I really liked the card you sent me, Mr. Nick."

Her words really brought Phoenix's mood up. He'd spent a lot more time on the cards this year, and gotten around to sending them out long ahead of time. He'd even gotten a few cards back, from Will Powers and Adrian Andrews. Each was made specifically for the person getting it, so Pearl had gotten one with a sketch of Kurain Village inside. "I'm glad to hear that, Pearl," Phoenix told her with a genuine smile. "What did Maya think?"

His ex-assistant was unable to come to the party this year thanks to a last-minute meeting with the Kurain elders, one they refused to reschedule. Apparently, being the Master of Kurain, or at least the Master-in-training, didn't have as much power as the name implied. Pearls winced. "Well, I do think she liked it, since it was made by you, Mr. Nick…" It only took a few more seconds for the 'but' to drop, as Phoenix was expecting it. "...but she did have some complaints with how you drew Mr. Steel Samurai." Seriously? He'd even used a reference photo. A blush appeared on Pearl's cheeks, and she asked, "Mr. Nick, Mystic Maya has been very worried about you lately. She told me that Mr. Edgeworth and Ms. von Karma and Mr. Butz, they're all worried about you too. Is everything okay?"

Well, that was a loaded question if ever Phoenix heard one. With no consulting work, things had been a little tight this last year, but finances were getting better. His poker reputation was pulling in more cash, and Trucy's shows were getting better and better, building a real fanbase who would pay to see her perform. Plus, there were the other things he'd spent his year doing: studying books given to him years ago, on law, philosophy, pragmatism; building connections in the local government, forging paths deeper into the heart of the bureaucracy; putting his mind to task on figuring out how to patch the completely broken system he'd struggled against for so many years. "Tell Maya, tell everyone, that I'm doing okay. I'm finding my way."


End file.
